Battery-powered electroplating barrel and methods of use

Abstract

Provided herein are systems, methods and apparatuses for a battery powered electroplating barrel and methods of use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electroplating barrel apparatus for coating a plating thickness to work pieces in an electroplating barrel, comprising:
 a. A motor operably coupled to the electroplating barrel;   b. A battery electrically coupled to the motor;   c. A DC-DC voltage regulator that receives DC current at a first voltage from the battery and adjusts the first voltage from the battery to a second voltage which is communicated to the motor, thereby operating the motor at a constant speed and rotating the electroplating barrel at a uniform rotational rate for an entire time of an electroplating process such that the work pieces in the electroplating barrel have a uniform plating thickness; and   d. A display electrically coupled to the battery configured to display the first voltage from the battery during the entire time of the electroplating process.   
     
     
         2 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator alarm configured to actuate at a pre-set threshold of the first voltage output from the battery. 
     
     
         3 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is controlled to rotate the electroplating barrel at a uniform rotational rate selected from the range of about 2 to about 10 rotations per minute. 
     
     
         4 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the uniform rotational rate of the electroplating barrel is regulated by the second voltage output from the DC-DC voltage regulator to the motor. 
     
     
         5 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a microprocessor operably coupled to and configured to control the DC-DC voltage regulator. 
     
     
         6 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrolyte solution, an anode and a cathode, configured to plate one or more of copper, nickel, nickel phosphorous, palladium, palladium-nickel, silver, tin, tin-lead, tin-zinc, zinc, zinc-nickel, cobalt hardened gold, and a self-polishing coating (SPC) platting array on the work pieces during the electroplating process. 
     
     
         7 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the battery is operably coupled to the cathode and configured to apply an electrical potential between the cathode and the anode within the electrolyte solution. 
     
     
         8 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cathode further comprises a plurality of cathode points electrically coupled to a plurality of insulated conductors. 
     
     
         9 . The electroplating barrel apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising first and second end plates and a plurality of bearing members, wherein the plurality of insulated conductors project through the plurality of bearing members.