Patent ID: 6979391

Claim:
Method for electrolytic treatment of electrically mutually insulated, electrically conductive structures ( 4 ) on surfaces of an electrically insulating foil material (Fo), comprising the steps of: a) unloading the foil material (Fo) from a store ( 15 ′, 15 ″); b) transporting the foil material (Fo) on a conveying line through a treatment unit ( 1 ) and thereby bringing the foil material in contact with a treatment fluid (F 1 ); c) during the transporting, guiding the foil material past at least one electrode arrangement, which comprises respectively at least one cathodically polarised electrode ( 6 ) and at least one anodically polarised electrode ( 7 ), the at least one cathodically polarised electrode ( 6 ) and the at least one anodically polarised electrode ( 7 ) being brought in contact with the treatment fluid (F 1 ) and being connected to a current/voltage source ( 8 ) flowing a current through the electrodes ( 6 , 7 ) and the electrically conductive structures ( 4 ) so that the electrolytic treatement takes place at the surfaces of the material (Fo), furthermore the electrodes ( 6 , 7 ) of an electrode arrangement being disposed in such a manner that they are oriented on one side of the material (Fo), and at least one insulation wall ( 9 ) being disposed between the electrodes ( 6 , 7 ) wherein the guiding of the foil material past the at least one electrode arrangement does not require electrical contact of the foil material with any electrodes in order to effect the electrolytic treatment; d) arranging the at least one cathodically polarised electrode and the at least one anodically polarised electrode in the at least one electrode arrangement to match the size of the electrically mutually insulated, electrically conductive structures, such that electric field lines emanating from the at least one cathodically polarised electrode and from the at least one anodically polarised electrode are effective to electrolytically treat a same one of the electrically mutually insulated, electrically conductive structures; and e) finally loading the foil material back onto a store ( 15 ′, 15 ″).