Patent ID: 8252154

Claim:
An electroplating apparatus, comprising: an electroplating tank for receiving an electrolyte solution; a first horizontally oriented supporting bar arranged in the electroplating tank; a first holding element suspended in the tank from the first supporting bar, the first holding element being configured for holding a plate-shaped workpiece in a manner that the workpiece is oriented along the first supporting bar; two second horizontally oriented supporting bars arranged at opposite sides of the first supporting bar; a plurality of spaced crossbars each disposed on the two second supporting bars; a plurality of second holding elements suspended from the corresponding crossbars, each of the second holding elements arranged between the first and one of the second supporting bars and configured for holding a metal block, each of the second holding elements being movable along the corresponding crossbar toward and away from the first supporting bar; a power supply comprising a cathode for electrical connection to the workpiece through the first supporting bar and the first holding element and an anode for electrically connection to the metal blocks through the second supporting bars and the second holding elements.