US20130015060A1

US20130015060A1 - Anode oxidation device

Info

Publication number: US20130015060A1
Application number: US13/441,278
Authority: US
Inventors: Chih-Pen Lin; Yu-Hsiang Lee; Wei-Ben Chen
Original assignee: FIH Hong Kong Ltd
Current assignee: FIH Hong Kong Ltd
Priority date: 2011-07-15
Filing date: 2012-04-06
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Also published as: TW201303085A

Abstract

An anode oxidation device comprises an anode oxidation tank, a force transmission mechanism, a fixing mechanism, an electric control mechanism, and a conduction mechanism. The tank comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The force transmission mechanism is rotatably fixed to the tank. The fixing mechanism is detachably fixed to the force transmission mechanism. The electronic control mechanism is connected to the force transmission mechanism and drives the force transmission mechanism to make the fixing mechanism move from the first end to the second end.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an anode oxidation device.
2. Description of Related Art
During anodizing, multiple anode oxidation tanks are simultaneously used to anodize the aluminum workpieces 200 and improve production efficiency. However, due to differences in conductivity of the tanks, even if the tanks are supplied with the same electrical voltage, the amount of current through each of the tanks can vary greatly. Accordingly, oxide films formed on the workpieces 200 will vary in thickness according to which tank they were processed, and the workpieces will have obvious color differences.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The FIGURE is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of an anode oxidation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The FIGURE shows an anode oxidation device 100 used to anodize aluminum workpieces 200. The device 100 comprises an anode oxidation tank 10, a force transmission mechanism 20, a fixing mechanism 30, an electric control mechanism 40, a conduction mechanism 50, a loading area 60, and an unloading area 70 engaging with the loading area 60. The tank 10 comprises a first end 11 and a second end 13 opposite to the first end 11. The loading area 60 is formed on the tank 10 adjacent to the first end 11. The unloading area 70 is formed on the tank 10 adjacent to the second end 13. The force transmission mechanism 20 is rotatably fixed to the tank 10. The fixing mechanism 30 is detachably fixed to the force transmission mechanism 20. The electronic control mechanism 40 is connected to the force transmission mechanism 20 and drives the force transmission mechanism 20 to make the fixing mechanism 30 move from the first end 11 to the second end 13.
In this embodiment the tank 10 is generally a hollow rectangle. The tank 10 further comprises a top surface 12 which defines an opening (not labeled) so that workpieces 200 can be dipped into anodizing solution held in the tank 10.
The force transmission mechanism 20 drives the fixing mechanism 30 to move from the first end 11 to the second end 13. The force transmission mechanism 20 comprises two parallel conveyer belts 22, a driving wheel 24, and a follower wheel 26. The driving wheel 24 is rotatably fixed to the tank 10 adjacent to the first end 11. The follower wheel 26 is rotatably fixed to the tank 10 adjacent to the second end 13.
The driving wheel 24 is connected to the electronic control mechanism 40, and drives the conveyer belts 22 under the control of the electronic control mechanism 40. The driving wheel 24 comprises a first shaft 242 and two pulleys 244. The first pulleys 244 are fixed to the two opposing portions of the first shaft 242 respectively.
The follower wheel 26 is connected to the driving wheel 24 by the conveyer belt 22. The follower wheel 26 comprises a second shaft 262 and two second pulleys 264. The second pulleys 264 are fixed in two opposing portions of the second shaft 262 respectively.
Each conveyer belt 22 is placed around the first pulleys 244 and the second pulleys 264 located on a same side. During the anodizing, the driving wheel 24 drives the conveyer belt 22 to move from the first end 11 to the second end 13.
In this embodiment, the tank 10 defines two sliding grooves 14 at the top surface 12, and two through holes 16 respectively aligned with the two sliding grooves 14. The two through holes 16 are defined through two parallel sidewalls of the tank 10 respectively. Each conveyer belt 22 circulates to pass over the first pulley 244, through the sliding grooves 14, around the second pulley 264, and then through the through hole 16 located on a same side in that order.
The fixing mechanism 30 is used to fix the workpiece 200. The fixing mechanism 30 comprises at least two opposing fastening seats 32, at least one bracket 34 and at least one workpiece frame 36. The workpiece frame 36 is detachably fixed to the bracket 32. The two fastening seats 32 are fixed to the two conveyer belts 22 respectively, and the bracket 34 is loaded on the two opposing fastening seats 32.
Each fastening seat 32 defines a latching groove 322 that engages the bracket 34.
The bracket 34 comprises a connecting rod 342 and two latching portions 344. The latching portions 344 are respectively connected to two opposing ends of the connecting rod 342. Each latching portion 344 engages in the corresponding latching groove 322 detachably fixing the bracket 34 to the fastening seat 32.
The electric control mechanism 40 is equipped with an electric control assembly such as servo motors to provide the driving force and movement instruction for the device 100. In this embodiment, the electric control mechanism 40 is mounted to the tank 10 adjacent to the first end 11. The electric control mechanism 40 comprises at least one stepper motor to drive the force transmission mechanism 20.
The operator can set movement instructions, such as the standing time of the bracket 34 in the loading area 60, unloading area 70, and other areas of the tank 10, and the velocity of the conveyer belt 22 through the electric control mechanism 40, to achieve a desired coating on each workpiece 200. Because the workpieces 200 are processed in the same tank under the same conditions, uniformity of the coatings applied to the workpieces 200 is achieved. The operator can also use the electronic control device 40 to set a time to alert the operator when it is time to move the workpiece 200 to the next work station after the anodizing.
The conduction mechanism 50 comprises an anode plate 52, at least one conductive rod 54 connected to the bracket 34, and two cathode plates 56 respectively defined in two opposing madial walls of the anodized tank 10.
One end of the conductive rod 54 spaced from the bracket 34 is contact with the anode plate 52. The cathode plates 56 and the anode plate 52 are electrically connected together. When the workpieces 200 fixed in the workpiece frame 36 are immersed in the anodizing solution, and the power is turned on, the anode current from the anode plate 52 in turn flows through the conductive rod 54, the connecting rod 342, the workpiece frame 36, the workpieces 200, the conductor anodizing solution, and then back to the cathode plates 56, to anodize the workpieces 200. In this embodiment, the anode plate 52, the conductive rods 54, and the cathode plates 56 are made of copper. The conductive rod 54 driven by the force transmission mechanism 20 moves from one end of the anode plate 52 adjacent to the driving wheel 24 to the other end of the anode plate 52 adjacent to the follower wheel 26.
Coating conductive copper oil on the mutually contacting surfaces between the anode plate 52 and the conductive rod 54 or sandblasting the mutually contacting surfaces to increase the contact area to enhance the electrical conductivity between the anode plate 52 and the conductive rod 54. In addition the conductive copper oil can prevent oxidation of the anode plate 52 and the conductive rod 54.
In this embodiment, the shortest linear distance between the workpieces 200 and cathode plate 56 is about 5 cm to about 7 cm. If the shortest linear distance were less than about 5 cm, the rate of growth of anode oxide film on the workpiece 200 would be too rapid and make the surface of the anode oxide film rough. If the distance were greater than 7 cm, then fewer workpieces 200 could be processed at the same time, reducing production efficiency.
The cathode plate 56 and the anode plate 52 are electrically connected together. In this embodiment, the conduction mechanism 50 also comprises a rectifier 58. The cathode plate 56 and the anode plate 52 through the rectifier 58 electrically connected together. The rectifier 58 is an electronic rectifier. Since the electronic rectifier has good performance as a regulator, uniform thickness of the coatings applied to the workpieces 200 is achieved even though they are processed on different brackets 34 at different times. In alternative embodiments, the rectifier 58 is an inductive rectifier.
In use, the bracket 34 with the workpiece frame 36 is loaded on the two fastening seats 32 at the loading area 60 of the tank 10, thus immersing the workpieces 200 in the anodizing solution. Power to the device 100 is turned on. The cathode plates 56 are negatively charged, the anode plate 52 is positively charged, and an electric field between the cathode plates 56 and the anode plate 52 is formed to anodize surfaces of the workpieces 200. The electric control mechanism 40 drives the transmission mechanism 20 to move from the driving wheel 24 to the follower wheel 26. Once the workpieces 200 arrive at the unloading area 70 at the other end of the tank 10, the anode oxidation of the workpieces 200 is complete anodizing and the bracket 34 with the workpiece frame 36 are removed from the tank 10. When the next two fastening seats 32 arrive at the loading area 60, another bracket 34 holding a next group of workpieces 200 is put in place.
In alternative embodiments, the number of the fastening seats 32 can be more than two groups. When one group of fastening seats 32 with workpieces 200 moves away from the loading area 60, another group of fastening seats 32 with workpieces 200 can be loaded in the loading area 60
The workpieces 200 anodized by the device 100 have uniform thickness. The device 100 has a simple structure, and is easy to operate.
It is believed that the exemplary embodiment and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

Claims

1. An anode oxidation device, comprising:

an anode oxidation tank, the tank comprising a first end and a second end opposite to the first end;

a force transmission mechanism;

a fixing mechanism;

an electric control mechanism; and

a conduction mechanism;

wherein the force transmission mechanism is rotatably fixed to the tank, the fixing mechanism is detachably fixed to the force transmission mechanism, the electronic control mechanism is connected to the force transmission mechanism and drives the force transmission mechanism to make the fixing mechanism move from the first end to the second end.

2. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the force transmission mechanism comprises two parallel conveyer belts, a driving wheel, and a follower wheel; the driving wheel is rotatably fixed to the tank adjacent to the first end; the follower wheel is rotatably fixed to the tank adjacent to the second end.

3. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driving wheel is connected to the electronic control mechanism, and drives the conveyer belt under the control of the electronic control mechanism; the driving wheel comprises a first shaft and two first pulleys; the two first pulleys are fixed to the two opposing portions of the first shaft respectively.

4. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each conveyer belt is placed around the first pulleys and the second pulleys located on a same side, and drives the conveyer belt to move from the first end to the second end.

5. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tank further comprises a top surface, two sliding grooves defines on the top surface, and two through hole respectively aligned with the two sliding grooves; each conveyer belt circulates to pass over the first pulley, through the sliding grooves, around the second pulley, and then through the through hole located on a same side in that order.

6. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixing mechanism comprises at least two opposite fastening seats, at least one bracket and at least one workpiece frame, the workpiece frame is detachably fixed to the bracket, the two fastening seats are fixed to the two conveyer belts respectively, and the bracket is loaded on the two opposing fastening seats.

7. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each fastening seat defines a latching groove to engage the bracket, the bracket comprises a connecting rod and two latching portions, the latching portions are respectively connected to two opposing ends of the connecting rod; each latching portion engages in the corresponding latching groove and detachably fixing the bracket to the fastening seat.

8. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the conduction mechanism comprises an anode plate, at least one conductive rod connected to the bracket, and two cathode plates respectively defined in two opposing madial walls of the anodized tank; one end of the conductive rod spaced from the bracket is contact with the anode plate; the cathode plates and the anode plate are electrically connected together; the conductive rod derived by the force transmission mechanism move from one end of the anode plate adjacent to the driving wheel to the other end of the anode plate adjacent to the follower wheel.

9. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conductive rod and the cathode plates are made of copper.

10. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mutually contacting surfaces between the anode plate and the conductive rod are sandblasted to increase the contact area.

11. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mutually contacting surfaces between the anode plate and the conductive rod are coated with conductive copper oil.

12. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the shortest linear distance between the workpiece and cathode plate is about 5 cm to about 7 cm.

13. The anode oxidation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a loading area, and an unloading area engaging with the loading area, the loading area formed on the tank adjacent to the first end, the unloading area formed on the tank adjacent to the second end.