초록 ▼

A printed circuit panel is selectively coated to protect circuits which may be exposed to deleterious chemicals during the electroplating of connector tabs. The apparatus has a mechanism for gripping and transporting the circuit panels through multiple stations including cleaning, drying, coating an

A printed circuit panel is selectively coated to protect circuits which may be exposed to deleterious chemicals during the electroplating of connector tabs. The apparatus has a mechanism for gripping and transporting the circuit panels through multiple stations including cleaning, drying, coating and curing in a vertical position at variable speeds. The coating station has multiple wipers movable in a vertical plane to apply a polymer to the circuit panel at a controlled volume on various levels. The wipers each have a leading edge in contact with the panel surface to be coated and an adjustable back edge spaced apart from the panel surface to be coated with the polymer flowing to the panel between the two edges.

대표청구항 ▼

Method of selectively masking circuit portions of a printed circuit panel having connector tabs comprising: (a) feeding a circuit panel between a pair of grippers in a vertical position; (b) aligning the vertical height of the circuit panel for passage through a series of treatment stations to clean

Method of selectively masking circuit portions of a printed circuit panel having connector tabs comprising: (a) feeding a circuit panel between a pair of grippers in a vertical position; (b) aligning the vertical height of the circuit panel for passage through a series of treatment stations to clean the circuit portion of the circuit panel; (c) coating the circuit portion of the circuit panel on each side with a controlled volume flow of a liquid coating solution by at least one wiper on each side movable in a vertical plane in response to a signal, the wipers having a first fixed edge in contact with the panel surface to be coated and a second adjustable edge forming a slot with the first fixed edge, the second edge spaced apart from the panel surface to be coated, the liquid polymer flowing from the wiper between the first and second edge, the first edge and second edge of the wiper having a pair of continguous end guards defining a first and second side, the panel being coated with a defined strip of polymer while moving past the wipers; and thereafter (d) curing the coating solution to form a polymer.