Surface treatment system and workpiece-holding jig

Abstract

A surface treatment system includes a surface treatment tank, a first guide rail and a second guide rail that extend at a position offset from a position over the upper opening of the surface treatment tank, and a plurality of transfer jigs that respectively hold a workpiece and are supported by the first guide rail and the second guide rail. The transfer jig includes a horizontal arm section, a first guide target section that is guided by the first guide rail, a second guide target section that is guided by the second guide rail, and a vertical arm section that is suspended from the horizontal arm section at a position between the first guide target section and the second guide target section, and holds the workpiece.

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         7 . A workpiece-holding jig that holds a sheet-like rectangular workpiece in a solution contained in a treatment tank, the workpiece-holding jig comprising:
 a plurality of first chuck members that hold a first side of the rectangular workpiece;   a plurality of second chuck members that hold a second side of the rectangular workpiece, the second side being opposite to the first the side in a first direction; and   a frame-like member that is disposed to surround the rectangular workpiece, and supports the plurality of first chuck members and the plurality of second chuck members,   the frame-like member including:   a first guide section that guides the plurality of first chuck members so that the plurality of first chuck members are movable along the first direction; and   a first biasing member that biases the plurality of first chuck members in one direction in which the plurality of first chuck members move away from the plurality of second chuck members along the first direction.   
     
     
         8 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 7 ,
 the frame-like member further including:   a second guide section that guides the plurality of second chuck members so that the plurality of second chuck members are movable along the first direction; and   a second biasing member that biases the plurality of second chuck members in a direction in which the plurality of second chuck members move away from the plurality of first chuck members along the first direction.   
     
     
         9 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 7 ,
 the frame-like member including a stationary plate, and a movable plate that is disposed to overlap the stationary plate,   the first guide section having a long hole that is formed in one of the stationary plate and the movable plate, and extends along the first direction, and a shaft that is formed on another of the stationary plate and the movable plate, and is inserted into the long hole, and   the first biasing member pressing and biasing the movable plate in the one direction relative to the stationary plate.   
     
     
         10 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claims 7 ,
 each of the plurality of first chuck members and the plurality of second chuck members including:   a stationary member that comes in contact with a first side of the workpiece; and   a movable member that is disposed at a position opposite to the stationary member so as to come in and out of contact with a second side of the workpiece, and is pressed against the second side,   the movable member including:   a driven element that is driven when the movable member is not pressed against the second side;   a pressed element that is always pressed toward the stationary member when the driven element is not driven; and   a pressing element that is formed in a shape of a thin plate at a free end of the pressed element.   
     
     
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         12 . A workpiece-holding jig that vertically holds a sheet-like rectangular workpiece in a solution contained in a treatment tank, and sets the rectangular workpiece as a cathode, the workpiece-holding jig comprising:
 a frame-like member that is disposed to surround the rectangular workpiece;   a plurality of conductive first chuck members that are supported by the frame-like member, and hold an upper side of the rectangular workpiece;   a plurality of conductive second chuck members that are supported by the frame-like member in a state in which the plurality of second chuck members are electrically insulated from the plurality of first chuck members, and hold a lower side of the rectangular workpiece;   a first current-carrying section that supplies current to the plurality of first chuck members; and   a second current-carrying section that supplies current to the plurality of second chuck members.   
     
     
         13 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 12 ,
 the frame-like member including:   a conductive upper frame member that supports the plurality of first chuck members;   a conductive lower frame member that supports the plurality of second chuck members;   two insulating members that are provided on either end of the upper frame member; and   two conductive vertical frame members, an upper end of the two vertical frame members being respectively supported by the two insulating members, and a lower end of the two vertical frame members being connected to either end of the lower frame member,   the first current-carrying section supplying current to the upper frame member, and   the second current-carrying section supplying current to the two vertical frame members.   
     
     
         14 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a common current-carrying section that supports the frame-like member via part of the first current-carrying section, and supplies current to the first current-carrying section and the second current-carrying section.   
     
     
         15 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 14 ,
 the first current-carrying section including:   an insulating section that is secured on the common current-carrying section;   a conductive connection section that connects the insulating section and the upper frame member; and   at least one upper frame current-carrying cable that connects the common current-carrying section and the connection section, and   the second current-carrying section including a first vertical frame current-carrying cable and a second vertical frame current-carrying cable that connect the common current-carrying section and the two vertical frame members.   
     
     
         16 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 15 ,
 the connection section including:   a first vertical arm section and a second vertical arm section that connect the insulating section and the upper frame member;   a first protrusion section that protrudes from the first vertical arm section; and   a second protrusion section that protrudes from the second vertical arm section, and   the at least one upper frame current-carrying cable including a first upper frame current-carrying cable that connects the common current-carrying section and the first protrusion section, and a second upper frame current-carrying cable that connects the common current-carrying section and the second protrusion section.   
     
     
         17 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 14 ,
 a resistance of a current path from the common current-carrying section to the upper frame member and a resistance of a current path from the common current-carrying section to the lower frame member being set to be substantially equal.   
     
     
         18 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 16 ,
 each of the two insulating members including a guide section that slidingly guides an upper end of either of the two vertical frame members in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         19 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a biasing member that biases either of the two vertical frame member that is slidingly guided by the guide section in a downward direction.   
     
     
         20 . The workpiece-holding jig as defined in  claim 19 ,
 a lower end of the biasing member being secured on either of the two vertical frame members that is slidingly guided by the guide section,   an upper end of the biasing member being secured on a conductive stationary member that is supported by either of the two insulating members, and either of the first and second vertical frame current-carrying cables being connected to the stationary member.   
     
     
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