Patent ID: 8182655
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: C25D

Abstract:
1. A plating system configured to plate a selected portion of a workpiece, comprising: a tank configured to hold a plating solution; a rotatable wheel disposed at least partially within the tank, the rotatable wheel including a periphery having a plurality of masking-belt engagement features and the rotatable wheel further including tracking mechanism engagement features; a masking belt set defining a longitudinally-oriented strip opening and including a plurality of wheel engagement features configured to engage with the plurality of masking-belt engagement features; a backing masking belt extending along a portion of the rotatable wheel, the masking belt set and backing masking belt positioned so that the selected portion is progressively exposed to the plating solution through the strip opening when the workpiece is advanced into the plating solution between the masking belt set and backing masking belt; and a tracking mechanism configured to guide the workpiece into the plating solution and move the workpiece laterally responsive to lateral movement of the rotatable wheel so that the selected portion of the workpiece is maintained in substantial alignment with the strip opening during entry into the plating solution, the tracking mechanism further including a rotatable tracking roller positioned and configured to engage with the plurality of tracking mechanism engagement features of the rotatable wheel.