Patent ID: 9598788
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: C25D

Claim:
1. Electroplating apparatus comprising: a vessel for holding an electroplating solution; a head including a rotor having a contact ring and a head motor for rotating the rotor; a lift/rotate actuator attached to the head; a deplate station having a deplate channel adapted to receive a sector of the contact ring; a deplate head pivotally attached to a deplate housing of the deplate station; with the lift/rotate actuator movable to engage the head with the vessel during plating operations, and to position a sector of the contact ring at least partially into the deplate channel; with the deplate station having a housing fixed in place at an upper rim of the vessel, and positioned to the outside of the vessel to avoid interfering with engagement of the head with the vessel; a first deplate electrode and a first deplate fluid nozzle on a first side of the deplate channel; and a second deplate electrode and a second deplate fluid nozzle on a second side of the deplate channel.