Spouted bed apparatus with annular region for electroplating small objects

Abstract

A vessel for contacting a plurality of objects with a fluid. An upwardly directed stream of fluid and a portion of the objects are confined in a conduit such that the fluid stream causes the objects to flow upward from a moving bed thereof to a disengaging position from where they fall onto an inclined distribution surface, are fed into an annular channel having at least an inclined section, and move downward through the inclined section to a feed position at the fluid inlet. The vessel may be used for treating electrically conductive objects wherein the fluid is an electrolyte, an electrode is positioned to contact the moving bed, and a counterelectrode is positioned in spaced relation to the vessel, which may be fixed or portable.

1 . An apparatus for electrolytically treating a plurality of at least partially electrically conductive objects with an electrolytic fluid to transfer a constituent of the fluid between the fluid and the objects, said apparatus comprising: 
 a vessel having an inclined wall inclined downwardly toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward from a feed position adjacent to said inlet to a disengaging position at which said objects are disengaged from said stream;    a distribution means mounted in said vessel and having a distribution surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position such that said disengaged objects fall on said distribution surface and move downwardly thereon away from said disengaging position to said return position, said return position being arranged to deposit said disengaged objects into a channel for conveying said disengaged objects to said feed position, said channel having at least an inclined portion defined by said inclined wall and an opposing inclined surface of a channeling portion of said distribution means, and said channeling portion being arranged to cause a bed of said deposited objects to move downward along said inclined wall while in contact with said opposing inclined surface;    a conduit mounted in said vessel and arranged above said fluid inlet for receiving said upward flow of objects, said conduit extending upwardly to confine the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to the vicinity of said disengaging position; and,    an electrode positioned to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode positioned in spaced relation to said moving bed and arranged to contact said fluid, said vessel being at least partially immersed in said fluid, said counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and said inclined wall or a side wall of said vessel having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow a current flow between said objects and said counterelectrode.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said channel further comprises an arcuate portion extending vertically from said inclined portion and having in inlet arranged adjacent to said return position for receiving said deposited objects, said arcuate portion being defined by a surface of a side wall of said vessel and an opposing vertically extending surface of the channeling portion of said distribution means, and said arcuate channel portion being arranged to form an arcuate bed of said deposited objects and cause said arcuate bed to move downward toward said inclined wall while in contact with said opposing vertically extending surface.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said electrode comprises an electrically conductive member mounted on said distribution means and arranged to contact said moving bed of objects in said arcuate channel portion.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said electrically conductive member has an arcuate shape and extends at least partially around a body member of said distribution means.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said channel has an annular cross section and extends around a body member of said distribution means to cause formation of an annular bed of said deposited objects.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said inclined wall and said opposing surface each have a conical shape.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said conduit confines the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to at least the vicinity of said distribution surface and is arranged to cause said upward flow of objects to pass through an opening in said distribution surface, and wherein a central portion of said distribution surface is continuous with an upper portion of a wall of said conduit.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrode comprises an electrically conductive member mounted on said distribution means and arranged to contact said moving bed of objects.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said electrically conductive member has an arcuate shape and extends around at least part of a periphery of a body member of said distribution means.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said opening is covered with a porous medium to retain said objects within the vessel.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said distribution means and said electrode are detachably suspended in said vessel and are removable to permit internal access to the said vessel.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising means for detachably mounting said vessel on a container for holding a body of fluid in which said vessel is at least partially immersed.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said container includes fluid outlet means for discharging said fluid from said container; and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for supplying to said vessel inlet a supply of said fluid from a corresponding source, and means for returning said fluid from said outlet means to said corresponding source from which the fluid was supplied.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said supply means comprises pump means for conveying fluid to said vessel inlet from the container on which said vessel is mounted; valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said container to said vessel inlet; and a frame for supporting said vessel, said pump means and said valve means as a portable unit for transfer between a plurality of said containers.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14  further comprising detection means for detecting the presence of said vessel in each of said containers, and switch means responsive to said detection means for automatically operating said pump means when said vessel is present in a corresponding one of said containers.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said vessel is a portable structure comprising a fitting for connecting said inlet to a supply conduit for supplying said fluid to said vessel.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16  further comprising a bypass conduit connected to said supply conduit for recycling at least a portion of the fluid in said container, and a control valve for controlling fluid flow in said bypass conduit so as to regulate the amount of fluid flow reaching said vessel inlet.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a deflecting member mounted above said distribution means and located in the vicinity of said disengaging position so as to intercept said upwardly flowing objects and deflect them away from said fluid stream.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said deflecting member has a concave surface for intercepting and deflecting the objects.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottom wall and said distribution surface are each inclined at an angle in the range of about 20° to about 80° from the horizontal.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said fluid in said vessel is a mixture of a liquid and a gas, and wherein said distribution means comprises a spacer body under said distribution surface to prevent an accumulation of gas under said distribution surface by filling a space beneath said distribution surface.  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus for electrolytically treating a plurality of objects with an electrolytic fluid while immersed in said fluid, said objects being at least partially electrically conductive and said apparatus comprising: 
 a vessel having an inclined wall inclined downwardly toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward from a feed position adjacent to said inlet to a disengaging position at which said objects are disengaged from said stream;    a distribution means mounted in said vessel and having a distribution surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position such that said disengaged objects fall on said distribution surface and move downwardly thereon away from said disengaging position to said return position, said return position being arranged to deposit said disengaged objects into a channel for conveying said disengaged objects to said feed position, said channel having at least an inclined portion defined by said inclined wall and an opposing inclined surface of a channeling portion of said distribution means, and said channeling portion being arranged to cause a bed of said deposited objects to move downward along said inclined wall while in contact with said opposing inclined surface; and,    an electrode positioned to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode positioned to contact said fluid, said vessel being at least partially immersed in said fluid, said counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and said inclined wall or a side wall of said vessel having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow a current flow between said objects and said counterelectrode.    
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22  further comprising: 
 pump means for conveying said fluid from a container to said vessel inlet;    control valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said container to said vessel inlet; and,    a frame for engaging said container and supporting thereon said vessel, said pump means and said valve means to provide a portable unit for transfer between a plurality of containers.    
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said distribution means further comprises a conduit arranged above said fluid inlet for receiving said flow of objects, said conduit extending upwardly to confine the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to at least the vicinity of said distribution surface and being arranged to cause said upward flow of objects to pass through an opening in said distribution surface.  
   
   
       25 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said channel further comprises an arcuate portion extending vertically from said inclined portion and having in inlet arranged adjacent to said return position for receiving said deposited objects, said arcuate portion being defined by a surface of a side wall of said vessel and an opposing vertically extending surface of the channeling portion of said distribution means, and said arcuate channel portion being arranged to form an arcuate bed of said deposited objects and cause said arcuate bed to move downward toward said inclined wall while in contact with said opposing vertically extending surface.  
   
   
       26 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said electrode comprises an electrically conductive member mounted on said distribution means and arranged to contact said moving bed of objects in said arcuate channel portion, and wherein said electrically conductive member has an arcuate shape extending at least partially around a periphery of a body member of said distribution means.  
   
   
       27 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said channel has an annular cross section and extends around a body member of said distribution means to cause formation of an annular bed of said deposited objects.  
   
   
       28 . An apparatus according to  claim 22  further comprising a deflecting member mounted above said distribution surface and located in the vicinity of said disengaging position so as to intercept said upwardly flowing objects and deflect them away from said fluid stream.  
   
   
       29 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said opening is covered with a porous medium to retain said objects within the vessel.  
   
   
       30 . An apparatus for contacting a plurality of objects with a fluid, said apparatus comprising: 
 a vessel having an inclined wall inclined downwardly toward a fluid inlet arranged to provide an upwardly directed stream of said fluid for causing said objects to flow upward from a feed position adjacent to said inlet to a disengaging position at which said objects are disengaged from said stream;    a distribution means mounted in said vessel and having a distribution surface inclined downwardly and extending away from the vicinity of said disengaging position to a return position such that said disengaged objects fall on said distribution surface and move downwardly thereon away from said disengaging position to said return position, said return position being arranged to deposit said disengaged objects into a channel for conveying said disengaged objects to said feed position, said channel having at least an inclined portion defined by said inclined wall and an opposing inclined surface of a channeling portion of said distribution means, and said channeling portion being arranged to cause a bed of said deposited objects to move downward along said inclined wall while in contact with said opposing inclined surface; and,    an electrode arranged to contact said moving bed and a counterelectrode arranged to contact said fluid, said fluid being a liquid electrolyte comprising a metal for coating said objects and said objects being at least partially electrically conductive, said vessel being at least partially immersed in said fluid, said counterelectrode being located outside of and in proximity to an immersed portion of said vessel, and said inclined wall or a side wall of said vessel having at least one opening immersed in said fluid to allow current to flow between said objects and said counterelectrode.    
   
   
       31 . An apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said channel further comprises an annular portion extending vertically from said inclined portion and having in inlet arranged adjacent to said return position for receiving said deposited objects, said annular portion being defined by a surface of a side wall of said vessel and an opposing vertically extending surface of the channeling portion of said distribution means, and said annular channel portion being arranged to form an annular bed of said deposited objects and cause said annular bed to move downward toward said inclined wall while in contact with said opposing vertically extending surface.  
   
   
       32 . An apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein said electrode comprises an electrically conductive member mounted on said distribution means and arranged to contact said moving bed of objects in said annular channel portion, and wherein said electrically conductive member has an annular shape extending around a periphery of a body member of said distribution means.  
   
   
       33 . An apparatus according to  claim 30  further comprising a deflecting member located in the vicinity of said disengaging position for intercepting and disengaging said upwardly flowing objects from said fluid stream.  
   
   
       34 . An apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said distribution means further comprises a conduit arranged above said fluid inlet for receiving said flow of objects, said conduit extending upwardly to confine the flow of said objects from the vicinity of said feed position to at least the vicinity of said distribution surface and being arranged to cause said upward flow of objects to pass through an opening in said distribution surface.  
   
   
       35 . An apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said channel has an annular cross section and extends around a body member of said distribution means to cause formation of an annular bed of said deposited objects.