System and method for electroplating flexible substrates

Abstract

A processing system for processing flexible substrates is disclosed. The system includes a loading station having an input spool adapted to support a wounded, unprocessed flexible substrate; a processing station adapted to perform one or more predetermined processes on the flexible substrate; an unloading station having an output spool adapted to receive the processed flexible substrate; and a substrate stability subsystem adapted to maintain the flexible substrate in a substantially vertical orientation while the substrate undergoes the one or more processes performed by the processing station. The substrate stability subsystem includes movable upper clips adapted to engage with upper portions of the flexible substrate, and a plurality of lower clips adapted to engage with lower portions of the flexible substrate as it is being transported into and out of the processing station. Also disclosed is a unique shield for the cathode clips to improve the uniformity of the deposition formed on the flexible substrate, and a unique seal to allow the transportation of the lower clips into and out of the electroplating cell while reducing leakage of fluid from the cell.

1 . A processing system for plating a flexible substrate, comprising: 
 a loading station including an input spool adapted to support a wounded, unprocessed flexible substrate;    a processing station adapted to perform a predetermined process on said flexible substrate, while said flexible substrate is in a substantially vertical orientation;    an unloading station including an output spool adapted to support a wounded, processed flexible substrate; and    a substrate stability subsystem adapted to maintain said flexible substrate in a substantially vertical orientation while said flexible substrate undergoes said predetermined process in said processing station.    
     
     
         2 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem is adapted to apply substantially vertical tension on said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         3 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem comprises: 
 a plurality of upper clips adapted to engage with an upper portion of said flexible substrate; and    a plurality of lower clips adapted to engage with a lower portion of said flexible substrate.    
     
     
         4 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem further comprises: 
 an upper movable support structure adapted to support said, upper clips; and    a lower movable support structure adapted to support said lower clips.    
     
     
         5 . The processing system of  claim 4 , wherein said upper movable support structure comprises a belt, cable, or belt.  
     
     
         6 . The processing system of  claim 4 , wherein said lower movable support structure comprises a belt, cable, or belt.  
     
     
         7 . The processing system of  claim 4 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem further comprises: 
 an upper idle wheel;    an upper drive wheel; and    a motor rotationally coupled to said upper drive wheel;    wherein said upper movable support structure is rotationally supported around said upper idle and drive wheels.    
     
     
         8 . The processing system of  claim 4 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem further comprises: 
 a lower idle wheel;    a lower drive wheel; and    a motor rotationally coupled to said lower drive wheel;    wherein said lower movable support structure is rotationally supported around said lower idle and drive wheels.    
     
     
         9 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem further comprises an upper clip actuator adapted to open and close said upper clips at different predetermined locations.  
     
     
         10 . The processing system of  claim 9 , wherein each of said upper clips comprises a cam wheel adapted to engage with said upper clip actuator.  
     
     
         11 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said substrate stability subsystem further comprises a lower clip actuator adapted to open and close said lower clips at different predetermined locations.  
     
     
         12 . The processing system of  claim 11 , wherein each of said lower clips comprises a cam surface adapted to engage with said lower clip actuator.  
     
     
         13 . The processing system of  claim 9 , wherein said upper clip actuator is adapted to close said upper clips to engage with said flexible substrate at a first location upstream of a second location where a lower clip actuator is adapted to close said lower clips to engage with said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The processing system of  claim 9 , wherein said upper clip actuator and a lower clip actuator are adapted to respectively open said upper and lower clips to disengage from said flexible substrate at substantially the same time.  
     
     
         15 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said upper clips are each adapted to apply a cathode contact to said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         16 . The processing system of  claim 15 , further comprising a clip strip cell adapted to remove processing material off of said upper clips.  
     
     
         17 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said lower clips are each adapted to apply a cathode contact to said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         18 . The processing system of  claim 17 , further comprising a clip strip cell adapted to remove processing material off of said lower clips.  
     
     
         19 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein each of said upper clips comprises a shield configured to improve a uniformity of material deposition across said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         20 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein each of said lower clips comprises a shield configured to improve a uniformity of material deposition across said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         21 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said processing station comprises a container adapted to support a bath of fluid, wherein said container includes an opening adapted to pass therethrough said lower clips.  
     
     
         22 . The processing system of  claim 21 , wherein said container further comprises a seal to reduce leakage of fluid from said container through said opening, while allowing said lower clips to pass through said opening.  
     
     
         23 . The processing system of  claim 22 , wherein said seal comprises: 
 a door that swivels about an axis; and    a biasing device adapted to bias said door against said container to occlude said opening, wherein said lower clips are each adapted to force said door away from said container against said bias as each clip enters or exits said container.    
     
     
         24 . The processing system of  claim 22 , wherein said seal comprises: 
 a first door that swivels about a first axis;    a second door that swivels about a second axis;    a first biasing device adapted to bias said first door against said container to occlude a first portion of said opening; and    a second biasing device adapted to bias said second door against said container to occlude a second portion of said opening;    wherein said lower clips are each adapted to force said first and second doors away from said container against said first and second biases as each clip enters or exits said container.    
     
     
         25 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said processing station comprises an electroplating cell.  
     
     
         26 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said processing station comprises a pre-treatment cell.  
     
     
         27 . The processing system of  claim 26 , wherein said pre-treatment cell is adapted to perform alkaline and/or acid cleaning of said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         28 . The processing system of  claim 26 , wherein said pre-treatment cell is adapted to perform a de-ionized water rinse of said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         29 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said processing station comprises a post-treatment cell.  
     
     
         30 . The processing system of  claim 29 , wherein said post-treatment cell is adapted to perform an anti-tarnish rinse of said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         31 . The processing system of  claim 29 , wherein said post-treatment cell is adapted to perform a de-ionized water rinse of said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         32 . The processing system of  claim 29 , wherein said post-treatment cell is adapted to perform a drying of said flexible substrate.  
     
     
         33 . A method of processing a flexible substrate, comprising transporting said flexible substrate into and out of a processing cell, while applying substantially vertical tension to said flexible substrate to maintain said flexible substrate in a substantially vertical orientation while said substrate is undergoing a process performed by said processing cell.  
     
     
         34 . A processing system for processing an article, comprising: 
 a processing station adapted to perform a predetermined process on said article, while said article is in a substantially vertical orientation; and    an article stability subsystem adapted to apply substantially vertical tension to said article to maintain said article in a substantially vertical orientation while said article is undergoing a process performed by said processing station.    
     
     
         35 . An electroplating apparatus for plating a moving article, comprising: 
 an electroplating cell including: 
 a container to support a bath of plating fluid; and  
 an anode electrode situated within said container and adapted to contact said bath of plating fluid; and  
   a cathode contact system comprising a plurality of movable clips adapted to make continuous cathode contact with said moving article, wherein each of said clips comprises a shield configured to improve a uniformity of a plating deposition formed on said article.    
     
     
         36 . The electroplating apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein each of said shield is adapted to reduce a plating current density flowing through said article proximate a region where said corresponding clip makes contact to said article.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus for processing a moving article, comprising: 
 an article stability system comprising a plurality of movable clips adapted to engage lower portions of said moving article to maintain said moving article in a substantially vertical orientation;    a processing cell including a container adapted to support a bath of processing fluid; and    a first seal, comprising: 
 a first chamber to receive processing fluid leaked from said processing cell;  
 a first inlet through which said movable clips are allowed to pass into said first chamber;  
 a first inlet occluding device adapted to occlude said first inlet;  
 a first outlet through which said movable clips are allowed to pass out of said first chamber; and  
 a first outlet occluding device adapted to occlude said first outlet.  
   
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first chamber is adapted to receive said leaked processing fluid by way of said first outlet.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first chamber is adapted to receive said leaked processing fluid by way of said first inlet.  
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first occluding device comprises a door biased against a wall of said first chamber to occlude said first inlet, wherein said lower clips are each adapted to force said door away from said wall against said bias as each clip passes through said first inlet.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first occluding device comprises: 
 a first door that swivels about a first axis;    a second door that swivels about a second axis;    a first biasing device adapted to bias said first door against a wall of said first chamber to occlude a first portion of said first inlet; and    a second biasing device adapted to bias said second door against said wall of said first chamber to occlude a second portion of said first inlet;    wherein said lower clips are each adapted to force said first and second doors away from said wall of said first chamber against said first and second biases as each clip passes through said first inlet.    
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first outlet occluding device comprises a door biased against a wall of said first chamber to occlude said first outlet, wherein said lower clips are each adapted to force said door away from said wall against said bias as each clip passes through said first outlet.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first outlet occluding device comprises: 
 a first door that swivels about a first axis;    a second door that swivels about a second axis;    a first biasing device adapted to bias said first door against a wall of said first chamber to occlude a first portion of said first outlet;    a second biasing device adapted to bias said second door against said wall of said first chamber to occlude a second portion of said first outlet;    wherein said lower clips are each adapted to force said first and second doors away from said wall of said chamber against said first and second biases as each clip passes through said first outlet.    
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , further including a second seal comprising: 
 a second chamber to receive processing fluid leaked from said processing cell;    a second inlet through which said movable clips are allowed to pass into said second chamber;    a second inlet occluding device adapted to occlude said second inlet;    a second outlet through which said movable clips are allowed to pass out of said second chamber; and    a second outlet occluding device adapted to occlude said second outlet;    wherein said first chamber is adapted to receive said leaked processing fluid by way of said first outlet, and wherein said second chamber is adapted to receive said leaked processing fluid by way of said second inlet.    
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first chamber includes an opening through which said leaked processing fluid flows to a drain.  
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein said leaked processing fluid flows to said drain by way of a spill out area.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said first seal includes a structure including an elongated opening through which said flexible substrate pass.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein said structure includes a pair of opposed rods, wherein a spacing between said opposed rods defines said elongated opening.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein said opposed rods are made of glass material.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein said opposed rods are inclined such that an upper portion thereof lies further downstream along a direction of movement of said article than a lower portion thereof.  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said structure includes a plurality of sets of opposed rods spaced apart from each other along a direction of movement of said article, wherein a spacing between each of said opposed rods define said elongated opening.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein at least one set of said opposed rods is inclined such that an upper portion thereof lies further downstream along said direction of movement of said article than a lower portion thereof.  
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein at least one set of said opposed rods is in a substantially vertical orientation.