At Least One Predominantly Nickel Metal Coating Patents (Class 205/181)
  • Publication number: 20090017327
    Abstract: A coated electrically conductive substrate has particular utility where there are multiple closely spaced leads and tin whiskers constitute a potential short circuit. Such substrates include leadframes, terminal pins and circuit traces such as on printed circuit boards and flexible circuits. This electrically conductive substrate has a plurality of leads separated by a distance capable of bridging by a tin whisker, a silver or silver-base alloy layer coating at least one surface of at least one of the plurality of leads, and a fine grain tin or tin-base alloy layer directly coating said silver layer. An alternative coated electrically conductive substrate has particular utility where debris from fretting wear may oxidize and increase electrical resistivity, such an in a connector assembly. This electrically conductive substrate has a barrier layer deposited on the substrate that is effective to inhibit diffusion of constituents the substrate into a plurality of subsequently deposited layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Szuchain F. Chen, Nicole A. Lasiuk, John E. Gerfen, Peter W. Robinson, Abid A. Khan
  • Publication number: 20090011224
    Abstract: In an aqueous solution of a zinc salt, counter, reference and working electrodes are placed, and an electric potential is applied across the working and reference electrodes. A gas including oxygen and an inert gas is introduced into the aqueous solution. Responsive to these conditions an array of zinc oxide nanostructures grows on a conductive nucleation plate that is a part of the working electrode. The nanostructures have sharp tips, have a more efficient electron emissivity than nanorods made from other materials, and can be used in fabricating field emission lamps and displays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: NOVAKOR, INC.
    Inventors: Ganapathi Subramaniam NAGARAJAN, Juwon LEE, Tae Won KANG
  • Patent number: 7473343
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a rare-earth magnet with superior corrosion resistance, and a plating bath used for the method. A first protective film including nickel and a second protective film including nickel and sulfur are laminated in order on a magnet body including a rare-earth element. The first protective film is formed through electroplating with a first plating bath including a nickel source, a conductive salt and a pH stabilizer, and having a concentration of the nickel source of 0.3 mol/l to 0.7 mol/l on a nickel atom basis and a conductivity of 80 mS/cm or over. Thereby, a rare-earth-rich phase can be prevented from being leached out, and the production of pinholes can be reduced. Therefore, the corrosion resistance of the rare-earth magnet can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakamoto, Yasuyuki Nakayama, Tatsuhiro Iwai, Tomomi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7422696
    Abstract: Multicomponent nanorods having segments with differing electronic and/or chemical properties are disclosed. The nanorods can be tailored with high precision to create controlled gaps within the nanorods or to produce diodes or resistors, based upon the identities of the components-making up the segments of the nanorods. Macrostructural composites of these nanorods also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Lidong Qin, Sungho Park, Ling Huang, Sung-Wook Chung
  • Publication number: 20080179076
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preventing siphoning effect in a terminal. The terminal of the invention comprises a conductive portion connected to an external component by a solder and a connecting portion extended to form the conductive portion. An exposed and easily oxidized copper is attached on the surface of the connecting portion, and the copper can be further oxidized to form oxide of copper. Since the copper is attached on the connecting portion of the terminal, and the copper can be oxidized to form oxide of copper, the oxide of copper, such as copper oxide, can prevent the siphoning of the solder from the conductive portion to the connecting portion during the soldering process. Accordingly, the solder can be saved, and the phenomenon of false welding can be avoided, such that the quality of soldering can be maintained well and the production cost can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventor: Ted JU
  • Publication number: 20080156652
    Abstract: A pre-treating solution for electroplating zinc alloy surface contains copper ions, hydroxyl ions, a complexing agent and an additive, wherein the additive is selected from sodium phosphate, sodium hypophosphite, phosphoric acid and dissolvable salts of phosphoric acid. The zinc alloy is dipped in the pre-treating solution and electroplated with a copper coating layer. Then, the zinc alloy is further dipped in a copper sulfate solution for thickening the copper coating layer and lastly coated with an anti-corrosion metal layer. Thereby, zinc alloy has excellent anti-corrosion and anti-wearing efficiency and varnish appearance. Moreover, the pre-treating solution contains no cyanide and thus is low toxic and safe to operator during electroplating and to environment after discharging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Chang Gung University
    Inventors: Ching-An Huang, Jo Hsuan Chang, Sung-Yu Ma
  • Patent number: 7393594
    Abstract: A laminated metal thin plate produced by electrodeposition is composed of a plurality of metal layers provided by at least two kinds of materials different in composition from each other. The laminated metal thin plate includes a first layer excellent in mechanical characteristics and/or chemical resistance and a second layer excellent in electrical characteristics such as electrical conductivity. The first and the second layers are adhered to each other in atomic level directly at their interface, with composition gradient at their interface, or with an adherence buffer layer such as a copper thin film interposed therebetween. The first layer is at first deposited on an electrode substrate. The second layer is deposited on the first layer. Deposition is repeatedly carried out in such a way that the first layers on opposite sides of the second layer are equal in thickness. Finally, the electrode substrate is dissolved and removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventors: Tohru Yamasaki, Takayasu Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20080128019
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a low cost solar cell using a novel high speed electroplating method and apparatus to form a metal contact structure having selectively formed metal lines using an electrochemical plating process. The apparatus and methods described herein remove the need to perform one or more high temperature screen printing processes to form conductive features on the surface of a solar cell substrate. The resistance of interconnects formed in a solar cell device greatly affects the efficiency of the solar cell. It is thus desirable to form a solar cell device that has a low resistance connection that is reliable and cost effective. Therefore, one or more embodiments of the invention described herein are adapted to form a low cost and reliable interconnecting layer using an electrochemical plating process containing a common metal, such as copper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Sergey LOPATIN, Nicolay Y. Kovarsky, David Eaglesham, John O. Dukovic, Charles Gay
  • Publication number: 20080105559
    Abstract: A method for a surface being plated locally includes a fixture for holding at least a work piece and the fixture is supported with two opposite lateral walls of a plating tank. Hence, a plated zone on a surface of the work piece can be immerged into the liquid contained in the plating tank for the plated zone being coated with de-oxide layer and plating layer sequentially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: SHI-PING LUO
  • Patent number: 7368046
    Abstract: The invention is a method for the production of a composite multilayer material having a backing layer, a bearing metal layer of a copper alloy or an aluminum alloy, a nickel intermediate layer and an overlay consisting of about 0-20 wt. % copper and about 0-20 wt. % silver, the combined maximum wt. % of copper and silver being about 20 wt. %, the rest being bismuth, and the layer thickness of the nickel layer amounts to more than 4 ?m by electrodeposition, in which the overlay is deposited from methyl sulphonic acid-based electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Wiesbaden GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Achim Adam, Klaus Staschko
  • Patent number: 7303663
    Abstract: Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching Operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching Operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning Operations, or barrier material removal Operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Microfabrica, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Dale S. McPherson
  • Patent number: 7252861
    Abstract: Multi-layer structures are electrochemically fabricated by depositing a first material, selectively etching the first material (e.g. via a mask), depositing a second material to fill in the voids created by the etching, and then planarizing the depositions so as to bound the layer being created and thereafter adding additional layers to previously formed layers. The first and second depositions may be of the blanket or selective type. The repetition of the formation process for forming successive layers may be repeated with or without variations (e.g. variations in: patterns; numbers or existence of or parameters associated with depositions, etchings, and or planarization operations; the order of operations, or the materials deposited). Other embodiments form multi-layer structures using operations that interlace material deposited in association with some layers with material deposited in association with other layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 7049007
    Abstract: A peelable composite foil includes a metallic carrier foil, a first barrier layer on one side of the metallic carrier and a second metallic layer on the first barrier layer. The second metallic layer includes a combination of a metal selected from the group including zinc, molybdenum, antimony and tungsten, and an electrodeposited, ultra-thin metal foil on the second metallic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Circuit Foil Luxembourg Sarl
    Inventors: Raymond Gales, Michel Streel, Rene Lanners
  • Patent number: 7045039
    Abstract: A method for depositing a multi-layered protective and decorative coating on an article comprising first depositing at least one coating layer on the article by electroplating, removing the electroplated article from the electroplating bath and subjecting it to pulse blow drying to produce a spot-free surface on the electroplated article, and then depositing, by physical vapor deposition, at least one vapor deposited coating layer on the electroplated article. The electroplated layers are selected from copper, nickel and chrome. The physical vapor deposited layers are selected from non-precious refractory metals, non-precious refractory metal alloys, non-precious refractory metal compounds, and non-precious refractory metal alloy compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Masco Corporation of Indiana
    Inventors: Dennis Foster, Larry M. McHugh, Heinrich Andreas Moebius
  • Patent number: 6998151
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method to coat an article using a plating process, either electroless or electrolytic, whereby nickel is plated on the article using a solution that includes a suspension of powders or containing one or more of the following elements: Ni, Cr, Al, Zr, Hf, Ti, Ta, Si, Ca, Fe, Y and Ga. Optionally, the coating is then heat treated at a temperature above about 1600° F. for an effective amount of time to allow to homogenize the coating by allowing effective interdiffusion between the species. The level of aluminum may be altered to produce a coating of the predominantly ? phase of the NiAl alloy composition. Optionally, a TBC layer is applied over the predominantly ? phase NiAl alloy composition metallic bond coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard Grylls, Theodore Robert Grossman
  • Patent number: 6939621
    Abstract: A plated copper alloy material for connecting terminals is provided which comprises a parent material of copper or copper alloy, a nickel layer and a copper-tin alloy layer. The nickel layer has a thickness of 0.1-1.0 ?m. The copper-tin alloy layer has a thickness of 0.1-1.0 ?m and contains 35-75 at % of copper. The material may additionally have a tin layer no thicker than 0.5 ?m for an engaging type terminal containing 0.001-0.1 mass % of carbon, or thicker than 0.5 ?m for a non-engaging type connector. The material meets requirements for capability of insertion with a small force, good electric reliability (due to low contact resistance) in a high-temperature atmosphere, workability for sharp bending without cracking, good solder wettability and good corrosion resistance to sulfur dioxide gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hara, Yasuhiro Shintani, Masayasu Nishimura, Ryoichi Ozaki, Masahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6923897
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing an electrolytically coated cold rolled strip, preferably for use in the production of battery sheaths. The cold rolled strip is provided with a cobalt or a cobalt alloy layer by an electrolytic method. The aim of the invention is to provide a battery sheath with low values for the electric contact resistance between the cathode substance of the battery and the inner surface of the battery sheath. To this end, organic substances m added to the electrolyte during coating that produce decomposition products, said decomposition produces and/or reaction products of said decomposition products with other components of the electrolytic bath being deposited on the strip material as a brittle layer along with the cobalt or the cobalt alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Hille & Mueller GmbH
    Inventors: Ferdinand Schmidt, Hans-Guenter Steinmann, Karlfried Pfeifenbring, Werner Olberding, Dagmar Petrick
  • Patent number: 6902827
    Abstract: A process for electrodepositing a low stress nickel-manganese multilayer alloy on an electrically conductive substrate is provided. The process includes the steps of immersing the substrate in an electrodeposition solution containing a nickel salt and a manganese salt and repeatedly passing an electric current through an immersed surface of the substrate. The electric current is alternately pulsed for predetermined durations between a first electrical current that is effective to electrodeposit nickel and a second electrical current that is effective to electrodeposit nickel and manganese. A multilayered alloy having adjacent layers of nickel and a nickel-manganese alloy on the immersed surface of the substrate is thereby produced. The resulting multilayered alloy exhibits low internal stress, high strength and ductility, and high strength retention upon exposure to heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Sandia National Laboratories
    Inventors: James John Kelly, Steven Howard Goods, Nancy Yuan-Chi Yang, Charles Henry Cadden
  • Patent number: 6866765
    Abstract: An R-T-B magnet (R is at least one kind of rare-earth elements including Y, and T is Fe or Fe and Co) has an electrolytic copper-plating film where the ratio [I(200)/I(111)] of the X-ray diffraction peak intensity I(200) from the (200) plane to the X-ray diffraction peak intensity I(111) from the (111) plane is 0.1-0.45 in the X-ray diffraction by CuKal rays. This electrolytic copper-plating film is formed by an electrolytic copper-plating method using an electrolytic copper-plating solution which contains 20-150 g/L of copper sulphate and 30-250 g/L of chelating agent and contains no agent for reducing copper ions and has a pH adjusted to 10.5-13.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Setsuo Ando, Minoru Endoh, Tsutomu Nakamura, Toru Fukushi
  • Patent number: 6855376
    Abstract: Carbon nanotubes are directly grown on a substrate surface having three metal layers thereon by a thermal chemical vapor deposition at low-temperature, which can be used as an electron emission source for field emission displays. The three layers include a layer of an active metal catalyst sandwiched between a thick metal support layer formed on the substrate and a bonding metal layer. The active metal catalyst is iron, cobalt, nickel or an alloy thereof; the metal support and the bonding metal independently are Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Pt or an alloy thereof; and they can be formed by sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, screen printing or electroplating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chien-Liang Hwang, Jack Ting, Jih-Shun Chiang, Chuan Chuang
  • Patent number: 6846401
    Abstract: A method for applying a metal layer onto at least one surface of an aluminium or aluminium alloy workpiece, including the steps of pretreating the surface and applying the metal layer by plating, wherein the pretreating step includes a non-electrolytic treatment by immersion of the workpiece in a single acidic solution, preferably a sulphuric acid solution, having a temperature of at most 100° C. A brazed assembly comprising at least one component of an aluminium workpiece made by this method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Corus Aluminium Walzprodukte GmbH
    Inventors: Jacques Hubert Olga Joseph Wijenberg, Joop Nicolaas Mooij
  • Publication number: 20040211672
    Abstract: A composite nickel and copper alloy plating film (3) containing nickel and copper. Nickel is of high wear resistance and a nickel alloy improves the wear resistance of the film. Copper is of high resistance of the film. The film may further contain self-lubricating particles and hard particles which ensure its wear resistance and lubricating property to a further extent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Osamu Ishigami, Tomohiro Hirata, Yoshimitsu Ogawa, Nobuhiko Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20040188267
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a rare-earth magnet with superior corrosion resistance, and a plating bath used for the method. A first protective film including nickel and a second protective film including nickel and sulfur are laminated in order on a magnet body including a rare-earth element. The first protective film is formed through electroplating with a first plating bath including a nickel source, a conductive salt and a pH stabilizer, and having a concentration of the nickel source of 0.3 mol/l to 0.7 mol/l on a nickel atom basis and a conductivity of 80 mS/cm or over. Thereby, a rare-earth-rich phase can be prevented from being leached out, and the production of pinholes can be reduced. Therefore, the corrosion resistance of the rare-earth magnet can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakamoto, Yasuyuki Nakayama, Tatsuhiro Iwai, Tomomi Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20040191545
    Abstract: A component capable of being exposed to a plasma in a process chamber has a structure having an electroplated coating comprising yttrium-containing species. The electroplated coating is resistant to corrosion in the plasma, and can have a compositional gradient of yttrium-containing species through a thickness of the coating. In one embodiment, the coating is formed by electroplating a layer comprising yttrium onto the surface, and then electroplating a second layer onto the first layer, and annealing the first and second layers. The second layer can comprise aluminum or zirconium. In another embodiment, the coating is formed by electroplating a layer comprising a mixture of aluminum and yttrium onto the surface and annealing the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nianci Han, Li Xu, Hong Shih, Yang Zhang, Danny Lu, Jennifer Y. Sun
  • Patent number: 6759142
    Abstract: A plated copper alloy material for connecting terminals is provided which comprises a parent material of copper or copper alloy, a nickel layer and a copper-tin alloy layer. The nickel layer has a thickness of 0.1-1.0 &mgr;m. The copper-tin alloy layer has a thickness of 0.1-1.0 &mgr;m and contains 35-75 at % of copper. The material may additionally have a tin layer no thicker than 0.5 &mgr;m for an engaging type terminal containing 0.001-0.1 mass % of carbon, or thicker than 0.5 &mgr;m for a non-engaging type connector. The material meets requirements for capability of insertion with a small force, good electric reliability (due to low contact resistance) in a high-temperature atmosphere, workability for sharp bending without cracking, good solder wettability and good corrosion resistance to sulfur dioxide gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Kobe Steel Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihisa Hara, Yasuhiro Shintani, Masayasu Nishimura, Ryoichi Ozaki, Masahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6752884
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mesh screen of an electrodeless lighting system, capable of intercepting microwave and passing light generated in a bulb, including a mesh screen forming step for forming a mesh screen to have a mesh structure, a first plating step for plating first metal substance on the surface of the mesh screen, a vacuum heat-treating step for vacuum-heat-treating the mesh screen under the condition that the temperature is risen to a predetermined degree, a second plating step for plating second metal substance on the surface of the mesh screen and a photocatalytic coating step for coating photocatalytic substance on the surface of the mesh screen, can improve plating characteristic of the mesh screen, strengthen the maintenance strength, lengthen the life span of the mesh screen and improve the optical character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Byoung-Ok Min
  • Patent number: 6740222
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of plating an electrical contact on an integrated circuit (IC) substrate manufactured from a rigid double-sided or multi-layered printed wiring board core with dielectric layers on both sides of the core. The method may include forming electrically connected plating layers on first and second opposing sides of a substrate and electroplating a contact layer over each of the plating layers using the plating layers. The method further includes removing a portion of the plating layers from the first and second opposing sides while leaving the plating layers under the contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Cohn
  • Publication number: 20040031691
    Abstract: A process for electrodepositing a low stress nickel-manganese multilayer alloy on an electrically conductive substrate is provided. The process includes the steps of immersing the substrate in an electrodeposition solution containing a nickel salt and a manganese salt and repeatedly passing an electric current through an immersed surface of the substrate. The electric current is alternately pulsed for predetermined durations between a first electrical current that is effective to electrodeposit nickel and a second electrical current that is effective to electrodeposit nickel and manganese. A multilayered alloy having adjacent layers of nickel and a nickel-manganese alloy on the immersed surface of the substrate is thereby produced. The resulting multilayered alloy exhibits low internal stress, high strength and ductility, and high strength retention upon exposure to heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: James John Kelly, Steven Howard Goods, Nancy Yuan-Chi Yang, Charles Henry Cadden
  • Patent number: 6692629
    Abstract: A flip-chip bumping method is proposed for the fabrication of solder bumps on a semiconductor wafer for flip-chip application. The proposed flip-chip bumping method is intended for use on a semiconductor wafer predefined with a plurality of chip regions which are delimited from each other by a predefined cutting line and each of which is formed with a plurality of aluminum or copper based bond pads, and is characterized in the provision of a plating bus over and along the cutting line and connected to each bond pad. By means of this plating bus, the required UBM (Under Bump Metallization) fabrication and solder-bump fabrication can be both carried out through plating. Since plating process is considerably lower in cost than sputtering process and etching process, the proposed flip-chip bumping method can be more cost-effective to implement than prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Shun Chen, Po-Hao Yuan, Shih-Kuang Chiu, Feng-Lung Chien, Ke-Chuan Yang
  • Patent number: 6660155
    Abstract: A process of coating the surface of articles made of glass pieces assembled in a came to minimize breakage of glass during application and hardening of the coating The process includes the steps of preprocessing the article, electrodepositing the coating on the article, and hardening the electrodeposited and coated article glass step-by-step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Korea Houghton Corporation
    Inventor: Kwang Soon Kim
  • Patent number: 6610417
    Abstract: The invention relates to the manufacture of metal foil electrodes useful in the manufacture of printed circuit boards having passive circuit components such as capacitors, resistors or inductors configured in a planar orientation. A copper foil is coated on each opposite side with a thin layer of nickel, which increases the range of functionality of the foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Oak-Mitsui, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Andresakis, Edward Skorupski, Wendy Herrick, Michael D. Woodry
  • Publication number: 20030079997
    Abstract: A method for coating a light metal alloy component to form a protective layer comprising Sn. First, a surface of the light metal alloy component is cleaned and passivated. A layer comprising Zn is formed on the surface, and a layer comprising Sn is deposited. An intermediate layer is preferably deposited between the Zn-containing layer and the Sn containing layer. The Sn-containing layer may additionally be varnished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: Enthone Inc.
    Inventor: Wolf-Dieter Franz
  • Patent number: 6547946
    Abstract: A method of processing a printed wiring board by single bath electrodeposition. Initial processing steps are implemented on the printed wiring board. Copper is plated on the printed wiring board from a bath containing nickel and copper. Nickel is plated on the printed wiring board from the bath containing nickel and copper and final processing steps are implemented on the printed wiring board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Michael P. Meltzer, Christopher P. Steffani, Ray A. Gonfiotti
  • Patent number: 6537438
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for applying a protective layer (42) to the cathode (40) of an electrolysis cell (10), where the cell also contains inert anodes (50) and the protective layer (42) can comprise a plurality of layers (70, 72, 74) with an inner layer (70) of TiB2 being preferred, and the protective layer (42) protects the cathode (40)from hot gases (64) used to pre-heat the cell (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventor: Roy A. Christini
  • Patent number: 6533915
    Abstract: The invention provides a surface-treated copper foil for producing printed wiring boards whose surface has,,been subjected to nodular treatment and anti-corrosion treatment, wherein the anti-corrosion treatment includes forming a-zinc-copper-tin ternary alloy anti-corrosive plating layer on a surface of the copper foil; forming an electrolytic chromate layer on the anti-corrosive plating layer; forming a silane-coupling-agent-adsorbed layer on the electrolytic chromate layer; and drying the copper foil for 2-6 seconds such that the copper foil reaches 105° C.-200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Mitsuhashi, Takashi Kataoka, Naotomi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6531045
    Abstract: The invention provides a surface-treated copper foil for producing printed wiring boards whose surface has been subjected to nodular treatment and anti-corrosion treatments, wherein the anti-corrosion treatment includes forming a zinc-copper-nickel ternary alloy anti-corrosive plating layer on a surface of the copper foil; forming an electrolytic chromate layer on the anti-corrosive plating layer; forming a silane-coupling-agent-absorbed layer on the electrolytic chromate layer; and drying the copper foil for 2-6 seconds such that the copper foil reaches 105° C.-200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Mitsuhashi, Takashi Kataoka, Naotomi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6503640
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an assembly of components joined by brazing, comprising the steps of: (i) forming the components of which at least one is made from a multi-layered brazing sheet product, the multi-layered brazing sheet product comprising a core sheet (a) having on at least one surface of the core sheet an aluminium clad layer (b), the aluminium clad layer being made of an aluminium alloy comprising silicon in an amount in the range of 2 to 18% by weight, a layer (c) comprising nickel on the outer surface of the aluminium clad layer, and a layer (d) comprising zinc or tin as a bonding layer between the outer surface of the aluminium clad layer and the layer comprising nickel; (ii) forming at least one other component of a metal dissimilar to the core sheet of the multi-layered brazing sheet product and selected from the group consisting of titanium, plated titanium, coated titanium, bronze, brass, stainless steel, plated stainless steel, coated stainless steel, low-carbon steel, plated
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Corus Aluminium Walzeprodukte GmbH
    Inventors: Adrianus Jacobus Wittebrood, Jacques Hubert Olga Joseph Wijenberg
  • Patent number: 6495022
    Abstract: A copper foil for fine wiring is produced by forming on a bonding surface of a copper foil a composite metal layer comprising (I) copper, (II) at least one of tungsten and molybdenum and (III) at least one of nickel, cobalt, iron and zinc by carrying out electrolysis in a plating bath (A) containing ions of these metals and chloronium ions, and then forming a roughened layer comprising copper on the composite metal layer by carrying out electrolysis in a plating bath (B) containing copper ions at a current density not lower than a limiting current density of the plating bath to form a dendritic copper electrodeposition layer and then carrying out subsequent electrolysis at a current density lower than the limiting current density of plating bath to form nodular copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Nippon Denkai, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Endo, Hiroki Hara, Nobuchika Yagihashi
  • Patent number: 6475565
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a clothing wire which is suitable for fitting to an opening-cylinder base body, wherein a raw wire which is customarily used to produce clothing wire is processed on end to form a wire coil, in which the teeth of the wire are perpendicular to the coil axis and which has a diameter which corresponds to the diameter of the opening-cylinder base body or differs by at most ±5% from the diameter of the opening-cylinder base body, and the wire coil is pushed loosely onto a support device and, together with this device, is introduced into an electroplating unit, the process steps which are customarily used for the chemical deburring of a raw wire and the nickel-diamond coating of a clothed opening cylinder taking place in the electroplating unit, and the clothing wire being removed from the electroplating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Elektroschmelzwerk Kempten GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Lukschandel, Manfred Menge, Jürgen Meyer
  • Patent number: 6475644
    Abstract: Radioactive coating solutions and sol-gels, and corresponding methods for making a substrate radioactive by the application of the radioactive coating solutions and sol-gels thereto. The radioactive coating solution comprises at least one carrier metal and a radioisotope, which may be soluble or insoluble, and may further comprise a reducing agent. The radioactive sol-gel comprises at least one metal alkoxide and a radioisotope, which may be soluble or insoluble. Methods of making a substrate radioactive by coating with radioactive coating solutions or sol-gels are also disclosed, including electrodeposition, electroless deposition, spin coating and dip coating. In a particular embodiment, the radioactive coating formed by the method is a composite coating. Radioactive substrates are also disclosed, comprising a substrate and one or more radioactive coatings, which coatings may be the same or different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Radiovascular Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Janet M. Hampikian, Neal A. Scott
  • Patent number: 6468672
    Abstract: A process for forming a decorative chromium plating on a plastic substrate includes depositing an electrically conductive coating on the plastic substrate, electrodepositing on the electrically conductive coating a high leveling semi-bright nickel electroplate layer, electrodepositing on the high leveling semi-bright nickel electroplate layer a bright nickel electroplate layer, and electrodepositing over the bright nickel electroplate layer a chromium electroplate layer. An advantage of the process is that a lustrous decorative chromium plating having good corrosion resistance and thermal cycling characteristics is obtained without a copper sublayer, and while using relatively thin nickel sublayers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Lacks Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence P. Donovan, III, Roger J. Timmer
  • Publication number: 20020139685
    Abstract: A continuous nickel plating process for at least one aluminum conductor includes a pre-treatment step P that improves the adherence of a nickel coat, and an electrolytic nickel plating step N, and is characterized in that the contact properties of the conductor after the pre-treatment step P are sufficient to enable a mechanical electrical contact, and in that the nickel plating current (In=I1) is transmitted to the conductor through a mechanical electrical contact on the part of the conductor output from the pre-treatment step (P). The invention is also directed to a device including a nickel plating tank with a receptacle that can contain a nickel plating bath and at least one electrode called the anode, containing nickel, at least one electrical power supply to apply a voltage (V1) between the electrode, or each electrode, and the conductor or each conductor, and means for moving the conductor in the nickel plating bath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Gabriel Colombier, Jean-Sylvestre Safrany, Bernard Loreau, Sandrine Tournier
  • Publication number: 20020100694
    Abstract: The invention provides a pretreatment process for electroplating aluminum parts or strip, in which the zincating solution is modified to improve the adhesion of the subsequent electroplate to the substrate. The aluminum part or strip, such as an aluminum coin blank or strip for coin blanks, is pretreated with an improved zincate solution which provides hydroxide ions in an amount in the range of 75-175 gpl, zinc ions in an amount in the range of 15-40 gpl, nickel ions in an amount in the range of 2-10 gpl and copper ions in an amount in the range of 1.5-5 gpl. The pretreatment process preferably includes a copper strike applied from a copper cyanide strike bath at a pH in the range of 8.5-11.0, using a current density in the range of 0.1-10 A/dm2. The pretreatment and electroplating steps arc preferably conducted by barrel plating, in accordance with another aspect of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventors: Louis Charles Morin, Angie Kathleen Molnar
  • Patent number: 6423389
    Abstract: An object is to provide a metallic-conduit-armored type linear member in which a linear member and the like contained in a metallic conduit do not become damaged and a defect in the metallic conduit can be repaired, a metallic conduit for armoring the linear member, and a method and a system for manufacturing the metallic-conduit-armored type linear member. The method comprises a basic process (I) in which a metallic tape (1) is formed into a tubular member, a seam of the tubular member is joined to complete a sealed metallic conduit, and a metallic-conduit-armored type linear member (12) is formed by loading a linear member (5) inside the metallic conduit, and a metallic coating process (II) in which a metallic coating layer is formed on an outer surface of the sealed metallic conduit by performing plating by using a room-temperature molten-salt electrolytic bath subsequent to the basic process (I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: OCC Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunori Yoshie
  • Patent number: 6420053
    Abstract: An article includes a bi-colored metallic coating electrodeposited directly on a metallic cathode, such that a planar surface of the coating exhibits a visual first color when viewed from a first angle to the surface and a visual second and different color when viewed at a second angle to the surface. The electrode position is carried out from a bath which comprises ions selected from the group consisting of molybdenum(VI)-containing ions and (Ni(II)−+Zn(II))− containing ions, wherein the parameters ionic concentration, pH, bath temperature current density and current quantity are so selected that a bi-colored coating is obtained, provided that a current density is applied to the underplate as cathode within the range of 0.005 to 0.5 A/dm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Nickel Rainbow Ltd.
    Inventor: Leonid Levinson
  • Patent number: 6410085
    Abstract: A method of machining a polycrystalline diamond material including a matrix of interstices containing a catalyzing material and a volume close to a working surface thereof substantially free of catalyzing material which comprises the steps of treating the volume to render the polycrystalline diamond electrically conductive, and using an electron discharge machining technique to machine the polycrystalline diamond. In one embodiment, the treatment comprises applying a conductive material layer to a surface of the diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Camco International (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Nigel Dennis Griffin, Peter Raymond Hughes
  • Publication number: 20020070118
    Abstract: A method for forming a nanolaminate structure is provided which comprises plating a substrate with layers of substantially a first metal and substantially a second metal using an electrolytic plating process and controlling the plating current to obtain a desired current density at the cathode, which is maintained within a predefined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Chris M. Schreiber, Mordechay Schlesinger, Robert Martinez, Haim Feigenbaum, William Robert Crumly
  • Patent number: 6391181
    Abstract: An article includes a colored electroplated metallic coating comprising both nickel and zinc, on an underplate of copper, brass, bright nickel or matt nickel, supported on a metallic or plastic substrate, various colors in the electroplated coating being exemplified. The electrolyte contains Ni2+, Zn2+, (NH4)+ and thiocyanate ions in specified concentrations, but no oxidative ion, color variation of the coating being achieved exclusively by variation of current density, time of the electroplating step and current quantity, provided that the current density at the cathode underplate is within the range of 0.01 to 0.5 A/dm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Nickel Rainbow Limited
    Inventors: Larisa Gorodetski, Leonid Levinson
  • Publication number: 20020053517
    Abstract: A copper foil for fine wiring is produced by forming on a bonding surface of a copper foil a composite metal layer comprising (I) copper, (II) at least one of tungsten and molybdenum and (III) at least one of nickel, cobalt, iron and zinc by carrying out electrolysis in a plating bath (A) containing ions of these metals and chloronium ions, and then forming a roughened layer comprising copper on the composite metal layer by carrying out electrolysis in a plating bath (B) containing copper ions at a current density not lower than a limiting current density of the plating bath to form a dendritic copper electrodeposition layer and then carrying out subsequent electrolysis at a current density lower than the limiting current density of plating bath to form nodular copper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Endo, Hiroki Hara, Nobuchika Yagihashi
  • Patent number: 6379818
    Abstract: A brazing sheet product and a method of manufacturing a brazing sheet product in which a layer comprising nickel is plated onto a surface of a clad layer made of an aluminium-silicon alloy containing silicon in the range of 2 to 18 weight %, wherein the surface is pre-treated by application of a bonding layer comprising zinc or tin. The application of the bonding layer may be by a zincate or a stannate treatment. The use of lead to promote wetting during brazing can be reduced or avoided, or other elements such as bismuth can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Corus Aluminium Walzprodukte GmbH
    Inventors: Joop Nicolaas Mooij, Adrianus Jacobus Wittebrood, Jacques Hubert Olga Joseph