Workpiece Holding Jig

Abstract

A workpiece holding jig for holding a plate-shaped workpiece that is an object to be electroplated, includes a frame and a back panel. The frame includes an annular body, a conductive member, a contact member, an inner seal member, and an outer seal member. The frame forms a sealed space between the inner seal member and the outer seal member, that accommodates the peripheral edge, the conductive member, and the contact member. The inner seal member has a column and a lip in order from outside to inside, the column protrudes toward the back panel so as to come into pressure contact with the peripheral edge of the workpiece when holding the workpiece, and the lip protrudes toward the back panel to the same extent as that of the column, with at least a tip portion of the lip inclined outward.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A workpiece holding jig for holding a plate-shaped workpiece that is an object to be electroplated, comprising:
 a frame and a back panel, configured to hold the workpiece between the frame and the back panel, wherein   the frame attached to the back panel so as to hold a peripheral edge of the workpiece between the frame and the back panel,   the frame includes:
 an annular body, 
 a conductive member disposed along an inner circumference of the body, 
 a contact member disposed along the conductive member in electrical connection with the conductive member to allow electrical contact with the peripheral edge of the workpiece, 
 an inner seal member disposed throughout an entire circumference of the body inside the contact member, and 
 an outer seal member disposed throughout the entire circumference of the body outside the conductive member, wherein 
   the frame forms a sealed space between the inner seal member and the outer seal member in a state where the inner seal member and the contact member are in abutment against the peripheral edge of the workpiece, and the sealed space accommodates the peripheral edge, the conductive member, and the contact member, and   the inner seal member has a column and a lip in order from outside to inside, the column protrudes toward the back panel so as to come into pressure contact with the peripheral edge of the workpiece when holding the workpiece, and the lip protrudes toward the back panel to the same extent as that of the column, with at least a tip portion of the lip inclined outward.   
     
     
         2 . The workpiece holding jig according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the column has at its protruding end a seat that extends inward up to a position where the seat overlaps the lip, and   the lip protrudes toward the back panel up to a position where the lip comes into contact with the seat.   
     
     
         3 . The workpiece holding jig according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the inner seal member has an outer plate outside the column, and   the contact member has a contact terminal that abuts against a surface of the outer plate.   
     
     
         4 . The workpiece holding jig according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a cooling mechanism that causes liquid to continuously flow into the sealed space to thereby cool the contact member. 
     
     
         5 . The workpiece holding jig according to  claim 4 , wherein the cooling mechanism includes a liquid inlet port, an inflow passage through which the liquid inlet port and the sealed space communicate with each other, a liquid outlet port, and an outflow passage through which the liquid outlet port and the sealed space communicate with each other. 
     
     
         6 . The workpiece holding jig according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the cooling mechanism includes an inlet connection unit for connecting a supply line from a liquid supply source to the liquid inlet port, and   the inlet connection unit has an inlet portion connected to the liquid inlet port via a packing, and a cylinder actuator that presses or draws the inlet portion against or away from the liquid inlet port.   
     
     
         7 . The workpiece holding jig according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the cooling mechanism includes an outlet connection unit for connecting the liquid outlet port to a drain line, and   the outlet connection unit has an outlet portion connected to the liquid outlet port via a packing, and a cylinder actuator that presses or draws the outlet portion against or away from the liquid outlet port.