Method for recycling wastes of an electrical appliance

• US 7,540,078 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Atsushi, Nakata, Mikiya, Suetsugu, Kenichiro, Hirano, Masato, Hibino, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THIEM D
• Application Number:
  US09/889,167
• Time in Patent Office: 3,434 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 294263-4265, 754/03, 753/92, 420/562, 702/82, 340/10.4, 340/10.41, 340/10.42, 340/10.52
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 13/00 Obtaining lead
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 25/06 from scrap, especially tin scrap by electrolytic procedure C25C1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/0077 using recyclable materials, e.g. for easier recycling or minimising the packing material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0266 Marks, test patterns or identification means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0465 by soldering H05K13/0469 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09936 Marks, inscriptions, etc. for information
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/178 Demolishing, e.g. recycling, reverse engineering, destroying for security purposes; Using biodegradable materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3463 Solder compositions in relation to features of the printed circuit board or the mounting process
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49819 with conveying of work or disassembled work part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49821 by altering or destroying work part or connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49822 by applying force

Abstract

A recycling method of wastes of an electrical appliance containing an article having a circuit soldered with parts soldered with a lead free solder. The method includes discriminating a first article having a circuit soldered with lead free parts from a second article having a circuit soldered with lead containing parts; recovering, grinding and melting each of the first and second articles to separate materials of the first article and materials of the second article; recycling reusable valuables contained in the materials of the first article and second article; and shredding a portion of the first and second article not containing the reusable valuables and burying/treating the portion at a stabilizing dumping ground or a controlled dumping ground for disposal.

Claims

1. A recycling method of wastes of an electrical appliance containing an article having a circuit soldered with parts soldered with a lead free solder and a housing accommodating said article wherein said housing has an IC carrying an identification information indicating presence of lead in said article or housing when said article or housing contains lead and indicating absence of lead in said article or housing when said article or housing does not contain lead, said identification information carrying information about the type and composition of the solder, kind of soldered parts, and a material of said article, said method comprising:

discriminating a first article having a circuit soldered with lead free parts from a second article having a circuit soldered with lead containing parts by means of said identification information,

recovering, grinding and melting each of the first and second articles to separate materials of said first article and materials of said second article,

recycling reusable valuables contained in said materials of said first article and said materials of said second article, and

shredding a portion of said first and second article not containing the reusable valuables and burying the portion or treating the portion at a stabilizing dumping ground or a controlled dumping ground for disposal.

2. The recycling method of wastes of an electrical appliance in accordance with claim 1, further comprising, before said discriminating step:

classifying wastes of miscellaneous electrical appliances by the type of electrical appliance,

identifying the presence or absence of lead by means of said identification information to discriminate a lead free electrical appliance from the lead containing second article, and

disassembling each electrical appliance to remove the first and second article therefrom.