Method for recycling secondary battery

• US 20040113588A1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Kenichi, Mikuriya, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,119,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/54 Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/84 Recycling of batteries or fuel cells

Abstract

A method featuring the steps of determining a secondary battery collected from a user as to whether it is reusable when being handed over again to the user after recharged, by performing a simple inspection on a site where the battery is received and returned to the user, and transferring the battery to another site for additional detailed inspection to further examine whether the battery is reusable when the determination is such that quality up to the specified capacity is not assured if the battery is given back for further usage to the user only after recharging it. The processes described in the above method can ensure the user that it has a reusable quality to the specified capacity, while the battery can be given back quickly.

Claims

1. A method of recycling secondary batteries comprising:

a first quality control process including the steps of conducting a first inspection on said secondary batteries, separating said secondary batteries into two or more levels based on a result of said first inspection, and classifying said separated secondary batteries into a first group and a second group according to predetermined levels;

a first reuse process for carrying out a first reuse processing on said secondary batteries separated into said one or more levels and belonging to said first group, said first reuse processing comprising different ways of processing to make said secondary batteries reusable according to individual levels;

a second quality control process including the steps of conducting a second inspection on said secondary batteries belonging to said second group, separating said secondary batteries belonging to said second group into two or more levels based on a result of said second inspection, and classifying said separated secondary batteries into a third group and a fourth group according to predetermined levels; and

a second reuse process for carrying out a second reuse processing comprising different ways of processing to make said secondary batteries reusable according to individual levels.

2. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1 further comprising a recycling process for disassembling said secondary batteries belonging to said fourth group, and collecting useful materials.

3. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said first reuse processing is comparatively simpler than said second reuse processing.

4. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein:

said first inspection includes an open-circuit voltage check for measuring an open-circuit voltage;

said separation is carried out according to said open-circuit voltage; and

said first reuse processing includes charging of said secondary batteries in a prescribed manner.

5. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 4, wherein said first inspection includes a closed-circuit voltage check for measuring a closed-circuit voltage, and said separation is carried out according to said closed-circuit voltage.

6. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said first quality control process comprises the steps of:

acquiring at least one of a time period elapsed after each of said secondary batteries was handed over to a user and another time period elapsed after each said secondary battery was manufactured; and

separating each said secondary battery based on said acquired time period.

7. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 6, wherein said step of separating said secondary batteries based on said time period separates certain of said secondary batteries as having a predetermined level, and transferring said certain batteries to a recycling process for disassembling and collecting useful materials without subjecting said certain batteries to said first reuse process or said second reuse process.

8. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said first quality control process comprises the steps of:

acquiring a number of times each of said secondary batteries has undergone at least one of said first reuse process and said second reuse process; and

separating each said secondary battery based on said acquired number of times.

9. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 8, wherein said step of separating said secondary batteries based on said number separates certain of said secondary batteries as having a predetermined level, and transferring said certain batteries to a recycling process for disassembling and collecting useful materials without subjecting said certain batteries to said first reuse process or said second reuse process.

10. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said first quality control process comprises the steps of:

obtaining an appearance data representing information on external appearance of said secondary batteries; and

separating said secondary batteries based on said appearance data.

11. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said second quality control process comprises the steps of:

conducting a charge capacity inspection for checking an electrical charge and discharge capacity of said secondary batteries; and

classifying said secondary batteries into at least two levels based on a result of said charge capacity inspection.

12. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 11, wherein said second reuse process includes an aging period after said charge capacity inspection.

13. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said second quality control process comprises the steps of:

obtaining an appearance data representing information on external appearance of said secondary batteries; and

separating said secondary batteries based on said appearance data, and

said second reuse process comprises the step of renewing said exterior appearance.

14. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said second inspection includes an open-circuit voltage check and a closed-circuit voltage check, and said secondary batteries are separated into two or more levels based on results of said open-circuit voltage check and said closed-circuit voltage check.

15. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said second quality control process includes a short-circuit and capacity check for examining a short-circuit and a partial short-circuit of said secondary batteries, and for examining if capacity exceeds a predetermined level, and said secondary batteries are separated into two or more levels based on results of said short-circuit and capacity check.

16. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said first quality control process further comprises a process of receiving said secondary batteries from a user,

said receiving process includes a user identifier obtaining process for obtaining a user identifier of said secondary batteries, and a user authentication process for determining legitimacy of the user according to said user identifier, and

said secondary batteries are advanced to said first quality control process only when said user is authenticated as legitimate.

17. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said receiving process includes a battery identifier obtaining process for obtaining an identifier of said secondary batteries, and a battery verification process for determining suitability of said secondary batteries according to said secondary battery identifier, and

said secondary batteries are advanced to said first quality control process only when said secondary batteries are verified suitable.

18. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1 further comprising:

an information obtaining process for obtaining at least one of a first inspection data representing a result of said first inspection, a first reuse data relating to said first reuse process, a second inspection data representing a result of said second inspection, and a second reuse data relating to said second reuse process; and

an information transmission process for transmitting the information obtained in said information obtaining process.

19. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein each of said secondary batteries has a rewritable storage medium, and said method further comprising:

an information obtaining process for obtaining at least one of a first inspection data representing a result of said first inspection, a first reuse data relating to said first reuse process, a second inspection data representing a result of said second inspection, and a second reuse data relating to said second reuse process; and

an information recording process for storing in said storage medium the information obtained in said information obtaining process.

20. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 19, wherein said storage medium comprises a memory sheet having a display function.

21. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1 further comprising a recharging process for supplementary recharging said secondary batteries when said secondary batteries meet a predetermined condition after having undergone at least one of said first reuse process and said second reuse process.

22. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 1, wherein said secondary batteries comprise nickel metal hydride storage batteries.

23. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 16, wherein said receiving process includes a wrapping process for wrapping said processed secondary batteries before being handed over to the user, and said wrapping is used for verification that the batteries are in unused condition.

24. The method of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 23, wherein said wrapping has a configuration of covering at least one of electrodes of each of said secondary batteries.

25. A system of recycling secondary batteries by receiving and separating said batteries after having used by a user, said system comprising:

a shop-level computer located in each of retail shops, said shop-level computer for obtaining and transmitting a user information, a secondary battery information, a result of first inspection conducted on said secondary batteries, and a result of first reuse process;

a factory-level computer located in each of factories, said factory-level computer for obtaining and transmitting a result of second inspection and a result of second reuse process executed on said secondary batteries transferred from each of said shop to said factory; and

a center computer for managing said system, comprising

an information receiving section for receiving information from said shop-level computer and another information from said factory-level computer,

an information identification section for identifying the information received in said information receiving section, and

an information storage section for storing said identified information.

26. The system of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 25, wherein:

said shop-level computer has an inquiry data acquiring section for receiving an inquiry from said user; and

said center computer has a retrieving section for retrieving data corresponding to said inquiry, and a retrieved result transmitter section for transmitting the information retrieved by said retrieving section to said shop-level computer.

27. The system of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 25, wherein said shop-level computer acquires a recharge information relating to recharge processing of said secondary batteries before handing said secondary batteries over to said user, and transmits to said center computer said user information and said secondary battery information in connection with said recharge information.

28. The system of recycling secondary batteries according to claim 25, wherein each of said secondary batteries has a rewritable storage medium, and said shop-level computer acquires said user information and said secondary battery information from said storage medium.