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Barrel plating deviceBarrel plating device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070246349, Barrel plating device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims the foreign priority benefit under Title 35, United States Code, section 119 (a)-(d), of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-120392, filed on Apr. 25, 2006 in the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]The present invention relates to a barrel plating device suitable for plating small objects. [0004]2. Description of the Related Art [0005]As for a barrel plating device for plating small objects, there has been known a device having: a horizontally and rotatably supported drum for holding objects to be plated therein; a plating bath for storing a plating solution in which the drum is immersed; a negative electrode which is held in the drum together with the objects to be plated; and a positive electrode disposed in the plating solution in the plating bath in such a manner that a periphery of the drum is arranged between two electrodes (see, for example, Japanese unexamined patent application laid-open specification Kokai No. 10-102297, paragraph 0002 and FIG. 5). [0006]For such a plating device, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, there can be mentioned a barrel plating device 101 having: a drum 102 in a shape of a polygonal cylinder which is horizontally and rotatably supported by a support member 106 and has side walls 123 each with a liquid passing part 124a; and a center bar 103 which does not rotate and is coaxially arranged with the drum 102. [0007]For performing plating using the barrel plating device 101, first, objects P to be plated are put in the drum 102. The drum 102, together with the support member 106, is immersed in a plating bath 111, and energized state is made between a positive electrode (not shown) and the center bar 103 as a negative electrode, while the drum 102 is rotated by a motor 150 disposed at an upper part of the support member 106, through gears 151, 152, 153 and 128. [0008]However with the plating device 101, when the drum 102 is rotated, a gap V is formed between the center bar 103 and the objects P to be plated and a high-current-density part C is generated as shown in FIG. 10, since the center bar 103 does not rotate. As a result, there arises a problem that burnt deposit may be occurred in a plating film formed on a surface of each of plated objects P facing the high-current-density part C. [0009]In addition, with the above-mentioned plating device 101, removal (and thus replacement) of the drum 102 is not easy, since the center bar 103 penetrates through the drum 102, as shown in FIG. 2. Due to this structure, in order to put and remove the objects P to be plated, a face or a part thereof of the side wall 123 of the drum 102, for example, is made attachable and removable (not shown), leading to poor workability. [0010]Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a barrel plating device in which a gap is not formed between a bar-shaped conductive member and objects to be plated in a drum, which gap may otherwise generate a high-current-density part, to thereby prevent an occurrence of burnt deposit in a plating film formed on a surface of the plated object. [0011]It would be further desirable to provide a barrel plating device in which a replacement of a drum and introduction and removal of objects are facilitated to thereby improve workability, and at the same time, the drum is stably rotated without coming off of a use position during an operation of the plating device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012]In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a barrel plating device including: a cylindrical drum for containing objects to be plated and being immersed in a plating solution in a horizontal state; a support member for rotatably supporting the drum; a drive mechanism for rotatably driving the drum; and a conductive member in a shape of a bar which is disposed coaxially with the drum and integrally rotates with the drum. [0013]With this configuration, the drum and the bar-shaped conductive member integrally rotate. Therefore, a gap is not formed between the bar-shaped conductive member and the objects to be plated in the drum, which prevents a generation of a high-current-density part. As a result, there is prevented an occurrence of burnt deposit in a plating film formed on a surface of the plated object. [0014]The barrel plating device may preferably but not necessarily further include an electrode shielding part including: an electrode electrically connected to the conductive member; a housing for holding the electrode, in which an end part of the conductive member is inserted; and a liquid-proof part for preventing the plating solution from entering the housing. [0015]With this configuration, the plating solution is prevented from entering the housing, even though the drum (or the conductive member) is rotating. Therefore, an electrically connected part between the conductive member and the electrode is prevented from being brought into contact with the plating solution. As a result, defective rotation of the drum, which may be caused due to a formation of plating film on the above-mentioned electrically connected part, can be prevented. [0016]Since a plating film is not formed on the above-mentioned electrically connected part or the electrode, the plating solution is not wasted, and at the same time, the conductive member and the electrode can be repeatedly used, leading to excellent cost performance. [0017]The electrode may preferably but not necessarily include an electrode bar; a conductor electrically connected to the conductive member; and an elastic member for connecting the electrode bar with the conductor, and biases the conductor to the conductive member. [0018]Since the conductor is biased to the conductive member by the elastic member, the conductive member can be energized while the drum is properly rotating. [0019]Since the electrode is formed of components including the electrode bar, the conductor and the elastic member, the most suitable material for each component can be independently selected for carrying out their respective functions. [0020]The drum may preferably but not necessarily be removably attached to the support member. [0021]Since the drum can be easily removed, a replacement of the drum and introduction and removal of objects are facilitated to thereby improve workability. Continue reading about Barrel plating device... Full patent description for Barrel plating device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Barrel plating device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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