Apparatus and method for stripping solder metals during the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a mechanical solder removal module, wherein the mechanical solder removal module effectuates the mechanical removal of at least a portion of the solder from a surface of the PWB; and
(b) a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of at least a portion of the solder from the surface of the PWB;
(c) a heating module positioned upstream and/or downstream of the chemical solder removal module;
wherein the mechanical and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series,wherein the heating module comprises at least one agitator selected from the group consisting of brushes, pressurized gases, pressurized liquids, rakes, sonic energy and laser energy, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus.
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Abstract
Apparatuses and processes for recycling printed wire boards, wherein electronic components, precious metals and base metals may be collected for reuse and recycling. The apparatuses generally include a mechanical solder removal module and/or a thermal module, a chemical solder removal module, and a precious metal leaching module, wherein the modules are attached for continuous passage of the e-waste from module to module.
118 Citations
88 Claims
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1. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a mechanical solder removal module, wherein the mechanical solder removal module effectuates the mechanical removal of at least a portion of the solder from a surface of the PWB; and (b) a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of at least a portion of the solder from the surface of the PWB; (c) a heating module positioned upstream and/or downstream of the chemical solder removal module; wherein the mechanical and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series, wherein the heating module comprises at least one agitator selected from the group consisting of brushes, pressurized gases, pressurized liquids, rakes, sonic energy and laser energy, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 12, 24, 25, 26, 27, 83)
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4. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a mechanical solder removal module, wherein the mechanical solder removal module effectuates the mechanical removal of at least a portion of the solder from a surface of the PWB; (b) a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of at least a portion of the solder from the surface of the PWB, wherein the chemical solder removal module comprises a container for a first composition and optionally at least one agitator, wherein the first composition comprises at least one oxidizing agent and the PWB is partially or fully immersed in the first composition, wherein the mechanical and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus; and (c) a heating module positioned upstream and/or downstream of the chemical solder removal module. - View Dependent Claims (8, 28, 29, 30, 81)
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6. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a mechanical solder removal module, wherein the mechanical solder removal module effectuates the mechanical removal of at least a portion of the solder from a surface of the PWB; and (b) a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of at least a portion of the solder from the surface of the PWB; (c) a precious metal leaching module, wherein the precious metal comprises at least one species selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, palladium, platinum, rhodium, iridium, osmium, rhenium, and ruthenium, wherein the mechanical and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (7, 9, 10, 11, 31, 32, 33, 34, 84)
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13. A method of recycling waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component comprising:
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removing at least a portion of solder from a surface of the PWB using a mechanical solder removal module, wherein the mechanical solder removal module comprises mechanical solder removal means selected from the group consisting of at least one blade, abrasive materials, grinder(s), and pressurized water and at least one agitator selected from the group consisting of at least one brush, rake, blown gases, and blown liquids for the mechanical removal of solder from the surface; removing at least a portion of the solder from the surface of the PWB using a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module comprises a container for a first composition and at least one agitator, wherein the PWB is partially or fully immersed in the first composition, wherein the mechanical solder removal module and the chemical solder removal module are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using the method. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 77, 79, 87)
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14. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a heating module for removing casing or at least one component from the PWB, wherein the heating module comprises a heating mechanism and means for moving the waste PWBs through the heating mechanism, wherein the means for moving the waste PWBs through the heating mechanism comprises a roller chain, tracks, belts, or link chains; and (b) a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of the solder from the surface of the PWB, wherein the heating and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (18, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 61, 65, 69, 73, 85)
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15. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a heating module for removing casing or at least one component from the PWB; and (b) a chemical solder removal module comprising a container for a first composition, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of the solder from the surface of the PWB, wherein the first composition comprises at least one oxidizing agent, wherein the heating and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 21, 40, 41, 42, 62, 66, 70, 74, 82)
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19. An apparatus for processing waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a heating module for removing casing or at least one component from the PWB; and (b) a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module effectuates the chemical removal of the solder from the surface of the PWB, (c) a precious metal leaching module, wherein the precious metal comprises at least one species selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, palladium, platinum, rhodium, iridium, osmium, rhenium, and ruthenium, wherein the heating and chemical solder removal modules are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (20, 22, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 63, 67, 71, 75, 86)
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23. A method of recycling waste printed wire boards (PWBs) comprising at least one component comprising:
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removing at least one casing or at least one component from a surface of the PWB using a heating module, wherein the heating module comprises a heating mechanism and a means for moving the PWB through the heating mechanism, wherein the means for moving the waste PWBs through the heating mechanism comprises a conveying belt, a conveying roller, a conveying wheel, a roller chain, tracks, belts, or link chains; removing at least a portion of the solder from the surface of the PWB using a chemical solder removal module, wherein the chemical solder removal module comprises a container for a first composition and at least one agitator, wherein the PWB is partially or fully immersed in the first composition, wherein the heating module and the chemical solder removal module are attached to one another in series, and wherein at least one component is separated from the PWB using said method. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 64, 68, 72, 76, 78, 80, 88)
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Specification