Patent ID: 7507319

Claim:
An anode assembly for use in a plating apparatus in which a substrate is to be disposed in a vertical orientation in a plating tank, said anode assembly comprising: an anode held in a vertical orientation in the plating tank and parallel to the substrate such that a surface of the substrate to be plated faces said anode; and an anode holder for holding said anode in the vertical orientation, said anode holder comprising: a bar extending horizontally and having a conductive portion to be connected to a power source; a support member extending vertically and downwardly from said bar and having a recess configured to accommodate and support said anode such that said anode is held in the vertical orientation; and a conductive anode shaft attached to said bar, said conductive anode shaft extending vertically and downwardly from said bar, said conductive anode shaft including: an external thread portion provided at an end of said conductive anode shaft and connected to said anode; an O-ring; and a shoulder portion between said O-ring and said external thread portion, said shoulder portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of said external thread portion and smaller than a diameter of said O-ring; and wherein said anode is arranged within said recess of said support member, and includes: an internal threaded hole into which said external thread portion of said conductive anode shaft is screwed so as to connect said conductive anode shaft of said anode holder to said anode; and a receiving portion for receiving said shoulder portion of said conductive anode shaft such that said O-ring of said conductive anode shaft is brought into contact with an inner surface of said receiving portion.