JP4123773B2 - Resin and metal separator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a resin and metal separation apparatus that separates a printed circuit board, which is a waste material, into a resin material and a metal material.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, printed circuit boards mainly used in electronic products consist of glass fiber and epoxy resin, which is a thermosetting resin. The recycling method is to collect only the wiring metal material as circuit wiring, and recycle it. I was using it. For this reason, the remaining insulating material obtained by separating and recovering the wiring metal material is incinerated and used as thermal energy, or is buried as waste.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional recycling method, the wiring metal material is recovered, but the insulating material such as the thermosetting resin of the substrate material is not recovered as a reusable material, which contributes to an increase in waste. Yes.
[0004]
For this reason, the reduction of the amount of waste and CO ₂ emissions for global environmental conservation or the efficient use of resources has become an important issue. Under such circumstances, there is a demand for a method for separating and collecting a reusable resin and metal as a method for recycling a printed circuit board, and an apparatus capable of separating and collecting a resin and a metal as its means.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and its purpose is to efficiently separate and recover the resin in the case where the resin used is recycled as a waste printed circuit board. It is an object of the present invention to provide a resin and metal separation device that can be used.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to claim 1 of the present invention, an insulating base material comprising only a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin and an inorganic filler is disposed from a discarded electronic product or a waste printed circuit board as a waste material generated in the manufacturing process of the electronic product. In a resin and metal separation device that separates a resin material formed into a metal material forming a conductor pattern, a pressurizing unit that pressurizes the waste printed circuit board, and a heating unit that heats the waste printed circuit board to a predetermined temperature at least capable of being softened, A filtering unit configured to filter the resin material from the waste printed circuit board maintained at a predetermined temperature by the heating unit, and the pressurizing unit includes a drive shaft having a rotating body for transferring the waste printed circuit board, and a base end side of the drive shaft Provided on the inner peripheral side of the holding portion for accommodating the rotating body, and is generated by the rotational force of the rotating body. The filtering means is a filter made of sintered metal that allows only the resin material to pass from the waste printed circuit board, and is disposed so as to be exposed on the inner periphery of the holding portion. The resin material is taken out radially outward, and the metal material is captured by a winding hole .
[0007]
As a result, when the printed circuit board made of thermoplastic resin is recycled as a waste printed circuit board, it is softened by heating with heating means, and only the resin material is allowed to pass through by forced filtration with pressure means. Thus, separation and collection by the filtering means can be easily performed. For example, by using a heating means, the molten resin is maintained at a temperature close to the heating temperature formed by heating in the initial manufacturing process of the waste printed board, that is, the printed board that has become the waste material. It can be easily separated and recovered.
[0009]
In addition, the waste printed circuit board can be transferred by the rotating body and pressurized by the pumping force generated by the rotation of the rotating body.
[0011]
Furthermore, since the filter is exposed and disposed on the inner periphery to which the pressing force by the rotational force is applied, only the resin component can be easily passed through the filter from the pressurized waste printed board.
[0013]
In addition to this, the mesh hole of the filter for filtering the object to be filtered is not simply penetrated, but can be formed in a twisted mesh hole. Therefore, since the mesh hole of the filter that allows the resin material to pass through can be twisted, for example, even a needle-like thin and long metal material can be reliably captured, preventing the metal material from passing through the filter it can.
[0014]
According to claim 2 of the present invention, the rotating body is a helical rotational body, Filtration means is disposed on the inner periphery of the above end portion side of the rotating body.
[0015]
The rotational force that rotates the spiral rotator in the spiral direction generates a radial centrifugal force, which is a component force in the spiral direction, and an axial transfer force, that is, a pressing force by a pumping force. It is possible to pressurize the waste printed circuit board as it goes toward the front end portion driven in the spiral direction.
[0016]
Furthermore, at this time, since the metal material deposited on the filtering means side can be removed by the axial transfer force, it is possible to prevent the filtering performance of the filter from being lowered.
[0017]
Accordingly, the resin material can be easily filtered by the filtering means, and thus the resin material can be efficiently filtered.
[0018]
According to claim 3 of the present invention, the drive shaft of the rotating body is arranged in the vertical direction.
[0019]
As a result, when only the resin material is filtered from the metal material and the resin material, the resin material is pressed against the inner periphery by the pressure applied by the rotational force, and the metal material that cannot pass through the filtering means is precipitated in the vertical direction. Is possible.
[0020]
According to claim 4 of the present invention, the end of the inner periphery opposite to the drive section side has a space in which a metal material can be stored.
[0021]
That is, in the inner periphery of the holding part that constitutes the pressurizing means, an end part opposite to the drive part side has a space in which a metal material can be stored.
[0022]
As a result, among the resin material and metal material constituting the waste printed board transferred by the rotating body, the metal material can be deposited so as to fill this space as the resin material is taken out by the filtering means. is there.
[0023]
According to claim 5 of the present invention, the heating means is a heater for heating the waste printed circuit board, and is provided in the inner wall of the inner periphery of the holding portion.
[0024]
As a result, it is possible to generate frictional heat due to friction between the waste printed boards with stirring by the rotation of the rotating body, and to reduce the energy consumption of the heater for heating the waste printed boards. .
[0025]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments in which the resin and metal separation apparatus of the present invention are embodied will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0026]
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a resin / metal separator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a printed circuit board as a workpiece to be separated into a resin material and a metal material by applying the apparatus in FIG.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 1, the resin / metal separation device 1 represents a waste printed circuit board 2 as an object to be processed, which is separated into a resin material and a metal material, and an object 2 to be processed. The resin material 2a is filtered from the pressurizing means M1 that pressurizes, the heating means M2 that heats the workpiece 2 to a predetermined temperature that can be at least softened, and the workpiece 2 that is maintained at the predetermined temperature by the heating means M2. The filter means M3 is included.
[0028]
As a result, when the printed board 100 made of thermoplastic resin is recycled as the waste printed board 2, the resin material 2a is softened by being heated by the heating means M2 and forcedly filtered by the pressing means M1. It is possible to easily perform separation and recovery by the filtering means M3 by passing only the filter.
[0029]
For example, the molten resin is filtered by the heating means M2 by maintaining the temperature close to the heating temperature formed by heating in the initial manufacturing process of the waste printed board 2, that is, the printed board 100 that has become the waste material. It is possible to easily separate and collect using
[0030]
Details of the characteristics of the printed circuit board 100 used as the waste printed circuit board 2 to be recycled will be described later.
[0031]
The detailed configuration and operation of the means M1, M2, and M3 will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0032]
First, the pressurizing means M1 includes a drive shaft 3 having a rotating body 3a that transports the waste printed circuit board 2, a driving unit 4 that allows the driving shaft 3 to rotate, and a holding unit Ha that houses the rotating body 3a. A predetermined pressure generated by a pumping force generated by the rotation of the rotating body 3a is applied to the inner circumference Hah side of the holding portion Ha that accommodates the rotating body 3a.
[0033]
As a result, the waste printed circuit board 2 can be transported by the rotating body 3a and pressurized by the pumping force generated by the rotation of the rotating body 3a.
[0034]
If the predetermined pressure generated by the pumping force of the rotating body 3a is large, the filtering operation of the resin material 2a described later can be efficiently performed by forced filtration by pressurization. On the other hand, even when the predetermined pressure is low, filtration is possible if the filtration time is sufficiently long. In other words, the resin material can be separated and recovered.
[0035]
The heating means M2 is a heater 5 that heats the waste printed circuit board 2, and is provided in the inner wall of the inner circumference Hah of the holding portion Ha.
[0036]
Thereby, the heating means M2 can keep the temperature over the entire circumference of the inner circumference Hah of the holding portion Ha into which the waste printed board 2 is introduced. It is possible to easily maintain the waste printed circuit board 2 that is the object to be processed accommodated in the inner circumference Hah of the holding portion Ha at least at a predetermined temperature that can be softened.
[0037]
Furthermore, with the stirring by the rotation of the rotating body 3a, it is possible to generate frictional heat due to friction between the waste printed circuit boards 2, and to reduce the energy consumption of the heater 5 that heats the waste printed circuit board 2. Is possible.
[0038]
For example, in order to maintain the temperature of the waste printed circuit board 2 as the object to be processed, that is, the temperature near the heating temperature formed by heating in the initial manufacturing process of the printed circuit board 100 (refer to FIG. 2) that has become the waste material, By adjusting the temperature of the heater 5, it is possible to form the molten resin 2 a on the inner circumference Hah of the holding portion Ha.
[0039]
Here, the holding portion Ha that accommodates the rotating body 3a covers the outer periphery of the rotating body 3a, and the inner periphery 6a of the filter 6 disposed so as to be exposed to the inner periphery described later is also the inner periphery Hah. Is configured.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, the predetermined temperature maintained by the heater 5 is set to a temperature close to the heating temperature formed by heating in the initial manufacturing process of the printed circuit board 100. Thereby, since the resin component 2a of the waste printed board 2 made of thermoplastic resin can be softened, the resin material 2a can be separated and collected by the filtering means M3.
[0041]
The filtering means M3 is a filter 6 that allows only the resin material 2a to pass from the waste printed circuit board 2 as an object to be processed, and is disposed so as to be exposed on the inner periphery Hah of the holding portion Ha, and is in the radial direction of the drive shaft 3 The resin material 2a is taken out to the outside.
[0042]
As a result, the filter 6 is disposed so as to be exposed on the inner circumference Hah to which a predetermined pressure is applied by the pumping force of the pressurizing means M1 (specifically, rotation of the rotating body 3a). 2, only the resin component (specifically, the molten resin material 2 a) can be easily passed through the filter 6.
[0043]
The filter 6 is configured to be formed from sintered metal. Thereby, the mesh hole of the filter 6 which filters the to-be-filtered object does not simply penetrate, but can be formed in a twisted mesh hole. Therefore, since the mesh hole of the filter 6 that allows the resin material 2a to pass through can be twisted, for example, even the needle-like thin and long metal material 2b can be surely captured. It can be prevented from passing.
[0044]
As long as the filter 6 has a mesh hole size through which the metal material 2b cannot pass and the resin material 2a can pass through, the filter 6 is a disc filter, ceramic, or foam in which stainless steel filters are laminated. Any of these filters may be used. The filter 6 made of sintered metal can be manufactured at a lower cost than a disk filter having a complicated assembly structure.
[0045]
The filter 6 in this embodiment is formed of a sintered metal using stainless steel as a metal material, and the mesh hole size is 50 μm. In addition, if the mesh hole size is in the range of 25 μm to 200 μm, the resin material 2a can be separated from the metal material 2b. When the mesh hole is made small, the life of the filter 6 is limited. When the mesh hole is made of a sintered metal, by replacing the metal material to be sintered, for example, copper (Cu) is used instead of stainless steel. When used and fired, the size can be about 200 μm.
[0046]
When the waste printed board 2 is a multilayer printed board, the size of the interlayer connection material is about 100 to 200 μm, and therefore the size of the mesh hole is desirably 100 μm or less.
[0047]
Furthermore, since the filter 6 is formed of sintered metal, even if a relatively high pressure is applied to the inner periphery 6a of the filter 6, the mechanical strength can be guaranteed due to the structure of the sintered metal. Accordingly, since it is possible to secure a large area of the inner periphery 6a, that is, a filtration area, under a relatively high pressure, for example, a predetermined amount of an object to be processed (specifically, the waste printed circuit board 2) is reduced to a predetermined amount. Processing can be performed in a lump without dividing, and thus the productivity of the work of separating the resin material and the metal material can be improved.
[0048]
Furthermore, since the filter 6 is formed of sintered metal, the size of the metal mesh hole is determined due to the metal material used as described above, so that the size of the mesh hole can be formed with high accuracy.
[0049]
Here, as the printed circuit board 100 used as the waste printed circuit board 2 to be recycled, as shown in FIG. 2, the insulating base material 23 made of a resin material and the surface of the insulating base material 23 are arranged and made of a metal material. And a conductor pattern 22.
[0050]
In addition, the resin material as an insulating material used for the insulating base material 23 should just be what consists of thermoplasticity, and while this can be softened by heating, it isolate | separates with the separation apparatus 1 of resin and metal. The recovered resin material can be heated to the desired material shape.
[0051]
In addition, in the thing which consists of the thermosetting resin used for the insulation base material of the conventional printed circuit board, even if it is high temperature, an elasticity modulus does not fall, and isolation | separation collection | recovery with such a simple apparatus 1 is impossible. is there.
[0052]
The insulating base material 23 may be any resin material film as long as it is formed of only a thermoplastic resin or a mixture of a thermoplastic resin and an inorganic filler as an insulating material. For example, polyetheretherketone (PEEK as an abbreviation) resin, polyetherimide (PEI) resin or a mixture thereof, thermoplastic polyimide resin (thermoplastic PI) resin, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin, or the like can be used. .
[0053]
As a result, the resin material 2a separated and recovered by the resin and metal separation device 1 becomes a thermoplastic resin in any case, and is therefore the same component. Therefore, the recovered resin material is also the resin material before recovery. In other words, characteristics equivalent to those of insulating materials can be expected.
[0054]
In addition, a recovery hole 7a for recovering the metal material 2b remaining by filtration of the filter 6 is provided below the tip 3as of the rotating body 3a in FIG. 1, and the metal material 2b can be led out.
[0055]
According to the present embodiment described above, the resin can be efficiently separated and recovered in the case where the printed circuit board made of thermoplastic resin is recycled as the waste printed circuit board.
[0056]
(Modification)
As a modification, in the pressurizing means M1 described in the above embodiment, a structure having the following features is used as the configuration of the rotating body 3a that transports the waste printed circuit board 2 and pressurizes it with a pumping force.
[0057]
The rotating body 3a of the pressurizing means M1 has a spiral shape, and the driving unit 4 turns the rotating body 3a in a spiral direction (arrow direction shown by the rotating body 3a in FIG. 1) via the drive shaft 3. The filtering means M3 (specifically, the filter 6) is disposed on the inner circumference Hah on the tip end 3as side that is driven in the spiral direction of the rotating body 3a. That is, the rotational force that rotates the spiral rotator 3a in the spiral direction generates a radial centrifugal force that is a component force in the spiral direction and an applied force by an axial transfer force, that is, a pumping force. Thereby, it is possible to pressurize the waste printed circuit board 2 so that it goes to the front-end | tip part 3as side driven to the spiral direction of the rotary body 3a.
[0058]
As the pressing force, the spiral helix of the rotating body 3a (hereinafter referred to as the screw lead angle) is set to an unequal pitch lead angle, and as it goes in the spiral direction, that is, toward the tip 3as side, By reducing the lead angle, it is possible to increase the axial rotational force, that is, the pumping force, compared to the radial rotational force, thereby obtaining a predetermined applied pressure. As a result, even if the resin material 2a softened at least by heating is highly viscous, the axial pumping force can be achieved at a relatively low rotational speed without relying on the applied pressure due to the centrifugal force due to the increased rotational speed. The pressure can be increased to a predetermined pressure.
[0059]
Furthermore, at this time, the volume of the metal material 2b on the filtering means M3 (specifically, the filter 6) side can be removed by the transfer force in the axial direction, so that the filtration performance of the filter 6 can be prevented from being lowered.
[0060]
Therefore, filtration of the resin material 2a by the filtering means M3 is facilitated, and thus the resin material 2a can be efficiently filtered.
[0061]
The drive shaft 3 of the rotating body 3a is preferably arranged in the vertical direction. As a result, when only the resin material 2a is filtered from the metal material 2b and the resin material 2a, the resin material 2a is pressed against the inner circumference Hah by centrifugal force, and the metal material 2b that cannot pass through the filter 6 is moved vertically (in detail). , And can be deposited in the lower direction of the filter 6 disposed on the inner circumference 2ah.
[0062]
Therefore, the resin material 2a can be separated and recovered through the filter 6 exposed on the inner periphery Hah, and the metal material 2b can be deposited downward without clogging the filter 6.
[0063]
As another modification, the recovery hole 7a for recovering the metal material 2b remaining after the filtration of the filter 6 described in the above embodiment has a space 7b in which the metal material 2b can be stored. That is, the metal take-out part 8 capable of storing the metal material 2b through the collection hole 7a is provided at the end of the holding part Ha on the side opposite to the drive part 4 side of the inner periphery Hah. Thereby, among the resin material 2a and the metal material 2b constituting the waste printed board 2 transferred by the rotating body 3a, the metal material is filled so that the space 7b is filled as the resin material 2a is taken out by the filtering means M3. It is possible to deposit 2b.
[0064]
Note that the metal extraction portion 8 is used when the metal material 2b fills the space 7b (specifically, the metal material 2b occupies most of the resin material 2a and the metal material 2b mixed in the space 7b). It is desirable to provide a heater 7c and a screw drive unit 7d. Thereby, the resin material mixed in the metal material 2b can be discharged by the screw driving unit 7d without the metal material 2b being fixed.
[0065]
Moreover, you may provide the supply part 9 (refer FIG. 1) which has the carrying-in apparatus which carries in the screw-type to-be-processed object 2 as a front | former stage apparatus of the pressurization means M1 demonstrated in said embodiment. Thus, heating of the workpiece 2 (specifically, the waste printed board 2 or the divided board 2ab obtained by cutting the waste printed board 2 into a predetermined size) according to the rotation pitch of the screw loader shown in FIG. The supply amount to the pressurizing means M1 can be adjusted. That is, the supply amount to the pressurizing means M1 can be adjusted by changing the rotational speed of the screw portion 9a.
[0066]
Furthermore, as the next-stage device of the filtering means M3 described in the above embodiment, the one separated and collected only by the resin material 2a through the filter 6 through the outlet hole 8a leading to the filter 6 is temporarily stored. A resin take-out portion 8 may be provided. In addition, while providing the screw-type loader 8b, it is preferable to provide the heat retention heater 8c which heats the resin material 2a stirred by this screw part 8b.
[0067]
Thereby, the resin material 2a separated and recovered is not cooled and solidified, and a failure such as clogging of the resin / metal separator 1 can be prevented.
[0068]
Furthermore, a so-called precoat filter may be used as the filter 6 described in the above embodiment. That is, the mesh hole is formed in a large size in advance, the metal material 2b is deposited on the inner periphery 6a of the filter 6 along with the operation of the resin / metal separator 1, and the mesh hole becomes smaller. It may be a mesh hole. Thereby, the lifetime of the filter 6 can be extended.
[0069]
Furthermore, in the pressurizing means M1 described in the above embodiment, by reducing the radial gap between the rotating body 3a, in particular, the spiral rotating body 3a and the inner periphery 6a of the filter 6, the inner periphery 6a can be reduced. The deposited metal material 2b may be scraped off. Accordingly, the resin / metal separator 1, particularly the filter 6 can be self-regenerated, and the life of the filter 6 can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a resin / metal separator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a printed circuit board as an object to be processed that is separated into a resin material and a metal material by applying the apparatus in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Separation device of resin and metal 2 Waste printed board 2ab (Cured waste printed board 2) Divided board 2a Resin material 2b Metal material 3 Drive shaft 3a Spiral rotating body 3as Tip part 4 Drive part 5 Heater heater 6 Filter 6a Inner circumference (a part of inner circumference Hah of holding part Ha)
7 Metal extraction part 7a Recovery hole 7b Space 8 (metal material 2b can be stored) Space 8 Resin extraction part 8b Screw type loader 8c Insulation heater 9 (having a carrying-in device for carrying in the screw type object 2) Supply part 22 Conductor Pattern 23 Resin film (insulating substrate)
100 Printed circuit board M1 Pressure means M2 Heating means M3 Filtration means Ha Holding part Hah Inner circumference

Claims (5)

Disposed electronic products or waste printed circuit boards as waste materials generated in the manufacturing process of electronic products, only thermoplastic resin or a resin material and conductor pattern made of thermoplastic resin and inorganic filler to form an insulating substrate In a resin and metal separator that separates into materials,
From the pressurizing unit that pressurizes the waste printed circuit board, the heating unit that heats the waste printed circuit board to a predetermined temperature that can be at least softened, and the resin material from the waste printed circuit board that is maintained at the predetermined temperature by the heating unit Bei example a filtering means for filtering,
The pressurizing unit houses a drive shaft having a rotator for transferring the waste printed circuit board, a drive unit provided on the base end side of the drive shaft to allow the drive shaft to rotate, and the rotator. A predetermined pressure generated by the rotational force of the rotating body is applied to the inner peripheral side of the holding section that houses the rotating body.
The filtering means is a filter made of sintered metal that allows only the resin material to pass from the waste printed circuit board, and is disposed so as to be exposed on the inner periphery of the holding portion, and is radially outside the drive shaft. The resin material and the metal separating apparatus are characterized in that the resin material is taken out and the metal material is captured by a meandering hole . The rotating body is a spiral rotating body,
2. The resin and metal separation device according to claim 1, wherein the filtering means is disposed on the inner periphery on the tip side of the rotating body . The said drive shaft of the said rotary body is arrange | positioned at the perpendicular direction, The separation apparatus of the resin and metal of Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. The end opposite to the drive side of the inner peripheral above, the resin according to claims 1, wherein the metallic material is characterized by having a space capable of storing any one of claims 3 Metal separator. Said heating means, said a heater for heating the waste printed circuit board, any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that provided on the inner periphery of the inner wall of the holding portion Separating device for resin and metal as described in 1.

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