Method of partially electroplating radiator

Abstract

A method of electroplating a radiator is provided. A container is disposed on a predetermined plating area of the radiator and an electrolyte containing the plating material is added into the container such that the electrolyte directly contacts the predetermined plating area to form a plating layer thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of electroplating a radiator, comprising providing a container corresponding to a plating area of a radiator for holding an electrolyte such that the electrolyte directly contacts the plating area to form a plating layer thereon. 
     
     
         2 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is held still in the container so that the electrolyte constantly contacts the plating area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein said container surrounds the plating area and the electrolyte flows through the container continuously and has a constant contact with the plating area. 
     
     
         4 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises a nickel solution. 
     
     
         5 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 performing a cleaning process to clean a surface of the plating area; and   performing a reduction process on the cleaned surface of the plating area before contacting the electrolyte with the plating area.   
     
     
         6 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 5 , wherein reduction process includes treating the plating area with a zinc solution to remove an oxide layer thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 6 , wherein the plating area is treated twice with zinc solution with a step of cleaning the plating area using aqueous nitric acid between the two treatments followed by a cleaning step using water. 
     
     
         8 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 6 , wherein the zinc solution held inside the container to contact the plating area. 
     
     
         9 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein the plating area of the radiator comprises a groove. 
     
     
         10 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein the plating area of the radiator comprises a flat surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein the container only corresponds to the plating area of the radiator. 
     
     
         12 . The method of electroplating a radiator according to  claim 1 , wherein the container has a smaller dimension compared to that of the plating area of the radiator 
     
     
         13 . A method of electroplating a radiator, comprising: cleaning a surface of a predetermined plating area of a radiator; performing a first treatment process to treat the surface of the predetermined plating area with a zinc solution by constantly contacting the zinc solution with the surface of the predetermined plating area to reduce the surface of the predetermined plating area and transferring the zinc solution to recycle; treating the surface of the plating area with aqueous nitric acid; performing a second treatment process to treat the surface of the predetermined plating area with zinc solution to reduce the surface of the predetermined plating area and transferring the zinc solution to recycle; cleaning the surface of the predetermined plating area with water; heating the radiator to dry the radiator; contacting zinc solution to constantly contact the surface of the predetermined plating area to form a zinc layer thereon; and cleaning the zinc layer using water.