Rack plating

Abstract

A method of plating the connector frames includes, in part, placing the frames in a vibrating bowl to enable the bowl's vibrations load the frames in a predefined orientation onto the vibrating bowl's channel. The properly oriented frames are delivered from this channel to a track. Subsequently, a multitude of sub-racks securely engage and lift the frames from the track. The sub-racks are afterwards aggregated to form a larger rack which transports the frames to a plating tank in which the plating operation is performed. Optionally, the spacing between adjacent frames in the track is such that no contact between adjacent frames can occur. Each sub-rack has a multitude of hooks or springs adapted to engage the frames. The sub-racks may be aggregated in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction to form the larger rack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of plating a plurality of frames each associated with a different one of a plurality of connectors, the method comprising:
 placing the plurality of frames in a vibrating bowl;   loading each of said plurality of frames onto a channel of the vibrating bowl and in a predefined orientation in response to vibrations of the vibrating bowl;   transferring said plurality of frames from the vibrating bowl's channel to at least one track;   using a plurality of sub-racks to engage and lift the plurality of frames from the at least one track;   aggregating the plurality of sub-racks to form a rack; and   transporting the rack to a plating tank to plate the plurality of frames.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein adjacent frames in the at least one track are spaced apart so as to inhibit contact therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a distance between adjacent frames in the track is defined by a height and a width of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         4 . The method  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of sub-racks has a plurality of hooks each adapted to engage an opening of at least one of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         5 . The method  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of sub-racks has at least one spring adapted to engage a cavity of at least one of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 aggregating the plurality of sub-racks in a horizontal direction to form the rack. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 aggregating the plurality of sub-racks in a vertical direction to form the rack. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said plating is nickel plating. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said plating is performed using a metal selected from a group consisting of Chrome, Gold, and Palladium. 
     
     
         10 . The method  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of sub-racks has at least one spring adapted to engage an opening of at least one of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus adapted to aggregate a plurality of frames each associated with a different one of a plurality of connectors, the apparatus comprising:
 a track adapted to receive the plurality of frames along a predefined orientation and at a known rate from a vibrating bowl;   a plurality of sub-racks adapted to engage and lift the plurality of frames from the track; and   a rack adapted to receive and aggregate the plurality of sub-racks, said track being further adapted to be transported to a plating tank to plate the plurality of frame.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said track is adapted to maintain a predefined distance between adjacent frames to inhibit contact therebetween. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein a distance between adjacent frames in the track is defined by a height and a width of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein each of the plurality of sub-racks has a plurality of hooks each adapted to engage an opening of at least one of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein each of the plurality of sub-racks has at least one spring adapted to engage a cavity of at least one of the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said rack is adapted to receive and aggregate the plurality of sub-racks in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said rack is adapted to receive and aggregate the plurality of sub-racks in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said plating is nickel plating. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said plating is performed using a metal selected from a group consisting of Chrome, Gold, and Palladium. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein each of the plurality of sub-racks has at least one spring adapted to engage an opening of at least one of the plurality of frames.