Patent ID: 6080291
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: C25D

Abstract:
An electrical contact assembly for an apparatus for effecting electrochemical processing of a workpiece, comprising:an annular contact for mounting on said apparatus, said annular contact having an annular mounting portion, and an annular electrically-conductive contact portion extending inward of said mounting portion, said contact portion being configured for electrically-conductive contact with a peripheral region of said workpiece at a substantial number of contact points; andan annular seal member mounted on said annular contact, the annular seal member comprising an annular seal lip formed entirely from a resiliently deformable material, the annular seal lip comprising an upstanding portion in fixed alignment with the annular mounting portion of the annular contact and a radially extending portion extending from the upstanding portion that terminates at an upstanding edge adjacent and radially interior to said contact portion of said annular contact, the annular seal lip generally deforming about one or more flex points on the upstanding portion of the annular seal lip as the workpiece is driven into engagement with the upstanding edge of the seal lip and into electrical contact with the contact portion of the annular contact so that said seal lip is resiliently biased into continuous sealing engagement with the peripheral region of said workpiece, such sealing engagement inhibiting contact between the contact portion of the annular contact and a processing fluid used in the electrochemical processing of the workpiece.