Method for processing and recovering at least one cartridge and processing and recovering system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for processing and recovering at least one cartridge, said cartridge comprising a cartridge container and a head, said cartridge further being configured to store at least one material, said method comprising the following steps: providing said at least one cartridge and at least one receptacle configured to receive said at least one cartridge; placing the cartridge into the receptacle such that at least the upper portion, in particular the head, of the cartridge extends beyond the upper opening edge of the receptacle; and-removing the upper portion of the cartridge, in particular at least the head, from the cartridge container at a plane extending along the upper edge of the receptacle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for processing and recycling at least one cartridge comprising a cartridge container and a head. Background Art

[0002] Cartridges configured to store and dispense at least one material are used in a variety of applications, from the medical sector to the industrial sector.

[0003] Therefore, since such cartridges are usually made of some kind of plastic, the amount of plastic used in their manufacturing is also extremely high, resulting in a significant environmental impact.

[0004] Furthermore, regardless of the specific field of application of the aforementioned cartridges, when filled they generally contain a viscous substance which may be irritating or even toxic and should not be discarded into the environment.

[0005] For the reasons mentioned above and due to the large number of fields of application, which results in a large number of cartridges and therefore plastics being used, there is a need to find a suitable method to improve the disposal and / or recycling process of such cartridges.

[0006] Conventionally, used cartridges originally filled with irritating or toxic viscous materials must all be disposed of as hazardous waste in order to avoid unwanted entry of these materials into the environment.

[0007] In the case where the cartridges were initially filled with non-hazardous material, another option is to clean the cartridges with known cleaning techniques and / or cleaning agents so that they can be refilled and used again. This option allows reducing the amount of plastic circulating in the environment because fewer new cartridges need to be produced.

[0008] However, this recycling option is often difficult, if not even impossible, to achieve when the cartridge was previously filled with materials such as those mentioned above, or when the cartridge was once filled with a material that hardens immediately upon coming into contact with air, because such hardened material is not easily removed from the cartridge wall. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for processing and recycling cartridges, with which the above-mentioned disadvantages can be overcome. This object is solved by the invention by the subject matter according to the independent claims.

[0010] In particular, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for processing and recycling at least one cartridge is provided, the cartridge comprising a cartridge container and a head. The cartridge is further configured to store at least one material, preferably a viscous material. The method according to the present invention comprises the following steps: providing the at least one cartridge and at least one receptacle configured to receive the at least one cartridge; placing the cartridge into the receptacle such that at least the upper portion of the cartridge, in particular the head, extends beyond the upper opening edge of the receptacle; and removing the upper portion of the cartridge, in particular at least the head, from the cartridge container at a plane extending along the upper edge of the receptacle.

[0011] Therefore, according to the present invention, the cartridge is inserted into the receiving portion such that at least the upper portion (e.g., the head) of the cartridge extends beyond the upper edge of the receiving portion. In other words, at least the upper portion to be removed in a later step extends beyond the upper edge of the receiving portion. This allows a removal device (such as a saw) to remove the upper portion from the rest of the cartridge along the upper edge of the receiving portion.

[0012] Note that, according to the invention, the expression "upper part of the cartridge" relates to the part of the cartridge closest to its outlet, respectively its head. This can also be seen in the figures.

[0013] That is, according to the present invention, the upper part of the cartridge is defined as comprising at least the head of the cartridge. However, it is also possible that it also comprises a portion of the cartridge container adjacent to the head, so that when the upper part of the cartridge is removed, the cartridge container is essentially cut into two pieces.

[0014] In this connection, it is further noted that it is also possible that the upper edge of the receptacle is used as an alignment device for the removal process, so that the upper part can be removed along a plane extending at least parallel to the upper edge, in particular along a plane spanned by the upper edge.

[0015] According to the invention, the at least one cartridge inserted into the receptacle is either completely empty or has at least been emptied to such an extent that the removed upper part is the part of the cartridge that is still contaminated with material previously stored therein. The lower part of the cartridge is thus empty and therefore at least substantially free of material previously stored therein.

[0016] After the upper part of the cartridge has been removed, the lower part of the cartridge may for example remain in the receiving portion so that the receiving portion can further be used as a transport container to transport the lower part or parts of the cartridge to their intended disposal or recycling location.

[0017] On the other hand, the removed upper parts of one or more cartridges can be collected in a separate receptacle or container, which can be used, for example, for storing and / or transporting them.

[0018] Thus, using the method according to the present invention, one can easily separate the contaminated portion of the cartridge from the uncontaminated portion (i.e., the substantially clean portion), allowing the substantially clean portion to be reused or recycled, or at least disposed of with regular garbage, while the contaminated portion can be disposed of at a special disposal site configured to dispose of hazardous waste. In this way, the amount of hazardous waste can be reduced. At the same time, the amount of plastic that can generally be reused and / or recycled can be increased, thereby contributing to a more sustainable disposal of the used cartridge.

[0019] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the head is made of a rigid material that is sealed and fixedly connected to the cartridge container. The head can be made of, for example, a rigid material such as PP, PE, PA, PET, PLA, PHA, PBAT, PCL, recycled materials, bio-based raw materials, fossil-based materials, and / or combinations thereof.

[0020] In this regard, it should also be noted that the head and the cartridge container can be made of the same material. They can even be formed as a single piece. However, in other cases, it may be possible that the head and the cartridge container are made of different materials so that the two parts are subsequently connected to each other.

[0021] According to another embodiment, the head further comprises an outlet through which the at least one material is dispensed. That is, the material can be dispensed through the outlet while the cartridge is still filled. This can be accomplished, for example, by using a suitable dispenser or dispensing mechanism. Such dispensers and / or dispensing mechanisms are known in the art.

[0022] According to another embodiment, the cartridge container is made of hard material so that the container is rigid. As mentioned above, the hard material can be the same material as the material for the cartridge head, or can be different types of materials. Suitable materials for the container can, for example, depend on the material to be stored therein and select. Possible material can be PP, PE, PA, PET, PLA, PHA, PBAT, PCL, recycled material, bio-based raw materials, fossil-based materials and / or a combination of the aforementioned materials.

[0023] It is also possible that the cartridge includes a piston configured to push the material stored within the cartridge toward the head and further configured to seal the rear end of the cartridge container. Thus, the rear end of the cartridge container can be provided by a piston configured to seal the rear end. Then, by moving the piston toward the outlet, the internal volume of the cartridge container is reduced, causing the material stored therein to be pushed toward the outlet and thus dispensed. This can be accomplished, for example, manually or using conventionally known manual, electric, or pneumatic dispensers.

[0024] According to an alternative embodiment, the cartridge container is made of a flexible material, in particular a film material consisting of one or more layers. Such a flexible cartridge container is typically used in conjunction with a rigid support sleeve, into which the flexible cartridge container is inserted when the cartridge container is in use, i.e., when the material stored therein is to be dispensed. In this case, the support sleeve comprises a piston configured to move toward the cartridge head, causing the flexible cartridge container to be compressed and the material stored therein to be pushed out of an outlet, in particular an outlet in the head.

[0025] Such flexible cartridge containers provide particularly safe and clean material dispensing, as neither the support sleeve nor the piston comes into contact with the material stored therein, making them easily reusable.

[0026] Furthermore, empty flexible cartridges comprise a significantly smaller storage volume, since they can be compressed, so that more cartridges can be inserted into one receptacle and / or transport box.

[0027] Possible materials for manufacturing such a flexible cartridge container may be selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate and / or combinations thereof.

[0028] Regardless of whether the cartridge container is made of a rigid material or a flexible material, the cartridge may also be a 1K or 2K cartridge, that is, the cartridge may include a single cartridge container, or two cartridge containers, each container being configured to store at least one material, wherein in particular, the materials are different from each other.

[0029] In this connection, it is noted that in the case of a 2K cartridge, the two cartridge containers can be arranged coaxially or next to one another, ie side by side.

[0030] Furthermore, in the case of a 2K cartridge, the head portion of the two cartridge containers can be composed of two separate head elements, one for each container. These head elements can, for example, be connected to form a common head portion. Furthermore, it is also possible for each head element to include a separate outlet through which the material stored in the container can be dispensed, or for the two head elements to include a common outlet when connected, allowing the materials stored in the two cartridge containers to be mixed during dispensing.

[0031] The one or more head elements may also be configured to be attached to a mixer configured to mix two materials from two cartridge containers.Many types of static or dynamic mixers are known and therefore will not be described in detail here.

[0032] According to an alternative embodiment, the head of the two cartridge containers is a common head of the two cartridge containers, said common head in particular comprising one or more outlets. In this case as well, the head can further be configured to be connected to a mixer.

[0033] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge container includes at least one predetermined separation section at which the upper portion of the cartridge is removed during the step of removing the upper portion of the cartridge. For example, the predetermined separation section may allow for easier separation of the upper portion from a cartridge container having a lower wall thickness or a stamped separation line at the separation section. Other mechanical features are contemplated that may serve as a separation section.

[0034] In other cases, the predetermined separation section may also be simply a visual marker which indicates to the user or a removal device where exactly to remove the upper part of the cartridge. In addition to the above-mentioned mechanical separation section, said visual marker may also be provided, for example to indicate its position.

[0035] When the cartridge is positioned in the receptacle in the prescribed manner and the rear end of the piston is positioned above the upper edge of the receptacle, the separating section can also be positioned between the upper edge of the receptacle and the rear end of the piston. This allows the upper portion of the cartridge to be removed behind the rear end of the piston, so that the piston seals against the rear end of the removed upper portion, which may still contain undispensed material. Furthermore, by removing the upper portion immediately behind the piston, it is not important whether the cartridge is completely emptied before the upper portion is removed, regardless of the exact location of the piston along the longitudinal length of the cartridge container, as the piston seals not only the rear end of the cartridge but also the rear end of the removed upper portion.

[0036] This is also advantageous since the piston is often also contaminated with material so that it needs to be handled separately, in particular together with the head.

[0037] According to another embodiment, the piston and the cartridge container include corresponding breaking features that, when the breaking features of the piston and the breaking features of the cartridge container are aligned with each other, allow the upper portion of the cartridge to be removed, wherein the breaking features specifically identify the predetermined separation section of the cartridge. That is, according to this embodiment, when the piston is in a predetermined position relative to the cartridge container, that is, when the breaking feature of the piston reaches the breaking feature of the cartridge container, the piston and the cartridge container may include breaking features that functionally match each other. The breaking features may be configured such that the removal of the upper portion of the cartridge is facilitated by the breaking features causing the removal.

[0038] According to another embodiment, it is also possible that only the cartridge container comprises a breaking feature, which is eg actuatable by the user or which is actuatable by the dispenser (eg automatically).

[0039] In this regard, it is noted that the breaking feature can include a matching or complementary protrusion (e.g., a blade-like protrusion), a pin, a hole, a recess, and / or a combination thereof, which can cause the above-described step of removing the upper portion. As just one example, the piston can include one or more pins that correspond to one or more holes of the cartridge container, or vice versa. Thus, it can be seen that a variety of different matching breaking features are possible, allowing for free selection of which option is preferred.

[0040] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the receiving portion is configured to receive more than one cartridge. That is, the receiving portion can be configured to receive two or more cartridges at the same time, so that the entire processing and recycling process can be optimized in time.

[0041] According to another embodiment, the housing comprises a substantially circular, oval, rectangular, square or polygonal inner and / or outer shape. The shape of the housing can, for example, be adapted to the shape of a cartridge that is to be inserted into the housing in order to facilitate space-optimized storage of the cartridge.

[0042] According to another embodiment, the housing comprises an inner receiving space configured to receive the at least one cartridge, the receiving space comprising a minimum height that depends on the longitudinal length of the cartridge. This means that the minimum height of the receiving space can be selected, for example, such that the upper portion, in particular at least the head, that is to be removed from the cartridge extends beyond the upper edge of the housing.

[0043] According to a further embodiment, the minimum height lies in the range of 50% to 99% of the longitudinal length of the cartridge container, preferably 60% to 90%, in particular 75% to 85%. Typically, the larger part of the cartridge container is received in the receiving space of the receptacle, so that only a short length of the cartridge extends beyond the upper edge. The reason for this is that it is preferable to only process completely empty cartridges, so that only a small part of the cartridge needs to be removed and processed, while the remaining part of the cartridge can be recycled.

[0044] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the step of removing at least the upper portion comprises cutting, breaking, laser cutting, shearing, sawing, and / or a combination thereof. The exact method of removing the upper portion may be selected based on the material from which the cartridge container is made, as some materials may be easily broken, while others may require cutting to ensure safe removal of the upper portion. The upper edge of the receiving portion may serve as a guide for the selected removal tool.

[0045] According to another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of providing at least one receiving section at the bottom surface of the housing, between said bottom surface and the cartridge, in particular said receiving section being configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the housing. The receiving section can also be configured to secure the cartridge when the upper part is removed, so that the cartridge does not move or tilt during said method steps.

[0046] Furthermore, it may also be possible that the receiving section is configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the receiving portion. This may be particularly advantageous when, for example, a half-empty cartridge is to be processed / recycled with the method according to the invention, or when a plurality of different types of cartridges are being processed, which may comprise different longitudinal lengths and / or may not all be completely empty.

[0047] By providing a receiving section configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the accommodation portion, it can be ensured that only the upper portion that should be removed extends beyond the upper edge of the accommodation portion.

[0048] In this regard, it should also be noted that the receiving section can also include a cross-section that matches the interior and / or exterior transverse cross-section of the cartridge container. In this way, the receiving section can serve as a coding device so that only cartridges of a specific type and / or shape can be received by the receiving section, which is beneficial, for example, when a cartridge that previously contained a hazardous or toxic material needs to be handled separately as a part still contaminated by said material. The receiving section can serve as the storage section mentioned above.

[0049] According to another embodiment, the receiving section can be configured to hold and / or compress the flexible cartridge container so that the head extends beyond the upper edge of the receiving portion. This can be advantageous because a separate flexible cartridge container cannot easily provide a stable fixation of the cartridge within the receiving portion.

[0050] According to another embodiment, the receiving section is a separate element, preferably a separate element that can be releasably fixed to the bottom surface of the receptacle by means of a snap connection, a bayonet connection, and / or a form-fit connection. A releasable receiving element can provide greater flexibility, since the receptacle can be configured to receive different types of cartridges having different heights and / or shapes, since the user can select which receiving element to insert into the receptacle before inserting the corresponding cartridge. The receiving section can also be adjustable, for example with respect to its vertical extension.

[0051] Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the receiving section is an integral part of the receptacle or a separate part which is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the receptacle.

[0052] According to another embodiment, the method includes a step of providing an alignment element in the housing, before or after the step of placing the at least one cartridge into the housing, the alignment element being configured to hold the cartridge in an upright position. Such an alignment element can either be placed inside the housing, or it can also be configured to be placed on top of the housing, i.e. on the upper edge of the housing, as a lid. In either case, the alignment element is configured to align the one or more cartridges so that their upper ends, i.e. the upper part including the head, always extend beyond the upper edge of the housing. This is particularly critical during the step of removing the upper part of the housing, because when removing the upper part of the cartridge, shear forces can act on the upper part of the cartridge, which can cause the cartridge to tilt or even fall over.

[0053] In this regard, it should also be noted that the alignment element can be configured as a template including at least one opening through which the cartridge extends. Thus, the alignment element can include one or more openings that match the corresponding shape of the cartridge so that the alignment element can easily hold the one or more cartridges in place.

[0054] It is also possible for the alignment element and the cartridge to include corresponding coding features that match one another. In this way, only specific cartridges can be held by a designated alignment element, thereby providing a coding option that allows the user to collect only predetermined cartridges in a specific receptacle. This can be advantageous, for example, if one wants to collect only cartridges that have been previously filled with a certain type of material.

[0055] Such coding features may include matching protrusions, recesses, pins, holes, markings, labels (particularly RFID tags), instructions, color coding and / or combinations thereof that readily allow identification of the correct cartridge, and accordingly the correct alignment element.

[0056] According to another embodiment of the invention, the receiving portion includes additional keying features that only allow certain types of cartridges, heads, and / or containers to be received in the receiving portion. As already mentioned above in connection with the alignment element, this is particularly advantageous if one wishes to collect only cartridges that have previously been filled with a certain type of material. Another option would be to collect only certain cartridges of a certain shape.

[0057] Such keying features may for example be selected from the group consisting of: color codes, markings, templates, labels (particularly RFID tags), instructions, protrusions, recesses, pins, holes and / or combinations thereof to allow easy identification of the correct cartridge, head and / or container, respectively.

[0058] According to another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of covering the receptacle with a cover element before and / or after the upper part of the cartridge has been removed. By providing a cover element that covers the receptacle after the upper part of the cartridge has been removed, the receptacle filled with one or more cartridge containers can be easily transported to its designated disposal / recycling location. Additionally or alternatively, for example, for storage and / or transportation reasons, it may be advantageous to cover the receptacle with the cover element before removing the upper part of the cartridge assembled therein.

[0059] Furthermore, it may also be possible to provide a cover element before removing the upper part of the cartridge, which cover element may for example serve to hold the cartridge in place and / or facilitate removal of the upper part by providing a guide along which the upper part is removed.

[0060] In this connection it should also be noted that the cover element may further be configured to close the receptacle by extending beyond the upper edge towards the bottom of the receptacle such that it forms a lid.

[0061] According to another embodiment, the cover element comprises at least one retaining element configured to engage with the head portion when the receiving portion is closed by the cover element in order to hold the head portion in place. Such a retaining element may, for example, comprise a shape corresponding to the shape of the head portion so that the head portion can slide into the retaining element when the cover element is placed on the receiving portion.

[0062] Alternatively, it is also possible that the retaining element is configured as a snap connection which secures the head when the cover element is placed on the receptacle. Other retaining and / or securing means are also possible and can be freely selected.

[0063] According to another embodiment, holding element can also be configured to bias the cartridge against the bottom of the receptacle.Like this, the cartridge is securely fixed, in particular for the step of removing the top of the cartridge and / or for transporting the receptacle to its designated disposal / recycling location.

[0064] Furthermore, it is also possible that the retaining element is configured to align the lid with the upper edge of the housing. This may be advantageous, for example, when several cartridges are placed in a housing having height differences. Thus, the retaining element may also be configured to compensate for the height differences.

[0065] According to another embodiment, the method additionally comprises the step of providing at least one collecting box configured to store the upper part of the cartridge (such as the head), or the remaining lower part of the cartridge (e.g. the cartridge container) after removal of said upper part from the cartridge, such that each part (i.e. the upper part and the lower part) can be stored and thus processed or recycled separately.

[0066] In this regard, it should be noted that the collection box may include a coding feature that only allows a certain type of upper or lower part to be received within the box. This may be necessary, for example, when hazardous or toxic materials have been pre-stored in cartridges that require separate handling.

[0067] Furthermore, it is possible that the coding feature is selected from the group consisting of: a color code, a mark, a template, a label (in particular an RFID label), a description, a protrusion, a recess, a pin, a hole and / or a combination of the aforementioned, which easily allows identification of the predetermined upper and / or lower part.

[0068] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a processing and recovery system is provided, which is configured to process and recover cartridges configured to store and dispense at least one material, in particular a fluid. The system comprises at least one cartridge having a cartridge container and a head, the container and the head being sealedly connected to one another. Furthermore, the system comprises a receptacle configured to receive and store the at least one cartridge, such that an upper portion of the cartridge, in particular the head, extends beyond an upper edge of the receptacle. Components of the system can, in particular, be configured to perform the method according to any of the preceding claims.

[0069] Such a system can provide a particularly easy and efficient way to dispose of and / or recycle used, i.e. (semi-)empty cartridges, since the receptacle is configured to effectively collect such cartridges by receiving them so that the upper part, in particular the head, of the cartridge extends beyond the upper edge of the receptacle. This allows one or more cartridges to be neatly collected within the receptacle, making further processing of the cartridges much easier.

[0070] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cartridge container comprises a predetermined separation section at which the upper part of the cartridge is removed, in particular by cutting, breaking, laser cutting, shearing, sawing, and / or a combination thereof. The predetermined separation section can, for example, allow easier separation of the upper part from the cartridge container by comprising a smaller wall thickness or a stamped separation line at the separation section.

[0071] In other cases, the predetermined separation section may also be or include a visual indicator that shows the user or removal instrument where exactly to remove the upper portion of the cartridge.

[0072] According to another embodiment, the cartridge container is one of a flexible and a hard cartridge container, the hard cartridge container particularly comprising a piston configured to seal a rear end of the receiving portion and further configured to push the material stored in the cartridge toward the head.

[0073] According to another embodiment, the accommodating portion further includes at least one receiving section located at a bottom surface of the accommodating portion, the receiving section being configured to receive the cartridge, and in particular, the receiving section being further configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the accommodating portion. The receiving section can, for example, be configured to secure the cartridge when the upper portion is removed, so that the cartridge does not move or tilt when stored in the accommodating portion.

[0074] Furthermore, it is also possible that the receiving section is configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the receptacle. This can be particularly advantageous when, for example, a partially empty cartridge is to be processed / recycled using the method according to the invention, or when a plurality of cartridges of different types are to be assembled in a receptacle which may comprise different longitudinal lengths and / or may not all be completely empty.

[0075] By providing a receiving section configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the receiving portion, it can be ensured that only the upper portion extends beyond the upper edge of the receiving portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] The present invention will be further described by way of the following embodiments presented in the accompanying drawings. These drawings show:

[0077] Figure 1 : An exemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention;

[0078] Figure 2 : A receiving portion including a receiving space for receiving an element;

[0079] Figure 3 : Cross section of the upper and receiving elements;

[0080] Figure 4 : An embodiment of a treatment and recovery system according to the present invention;

[0081] Figure 5 : Another embodiment of the treatment and recovery system according to the present invention;

[0082] Figure 6 :use Figure 4 and Figure 5 Embodiments of the system and method;

[0083] Figure 7 : a cross-sectional and top view of a receiving portion including an alignment element, the alignment element including a coding feature;

[0084] Figure 8 : Top view of the barrel including the coding feature;

[0085] Figure 9 : Another example of an alignment element comprising a coding feature;

[0086] Figure 10 : a cross-section of a cartridge container and piston including matching fracture features; and

[0087] Figure 11 : a further example of a cartridge container comprising a fracture feature; and DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0088] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of the method and system according to the present invention is shown. A receiving portion 10 (hereinafter referred to as a box) is provided, into which a used cartridge 12 is placed. Obviously, as many cartridges 12 as the box 10 can accommodate can be inserted into the box 10.

[0089] In some cases, the box 10 may include a keying feature to determine which cartridge 12 should be collected within the box. Such a keying feature may include a color code, a marking, a template, a label (particularly an RFID tag), an instruction, a protrusion, a recess, a pin, a hole, and / or a combination thereof (not shown).

[0090] The cartridge 12 is inserted so that the head 14 of the cartridge 12 extends beyond the upper edge 110 of the box 10. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, not only the head 14 extends beyond the upper edge 110, but also the portion of the cartridge container 16 of each cartridge 12 connected to the head 14 extends beyond the upper edge 110. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the cartridge 12 always includes two cartridge containers 16 arranged next to each other. However, for example, the cartridge 12 can also include only one cartridge container 16 or two coaxially arranged cartridge containers 16.

[0091] In this regard, it should be noted that the cartridge container 16 may be one of a rigid or a flexible cartridge container 16 .

[0092] Optionally, and also as Figure 1 As shown, a cover 200 may be placed on the cartridge 10 to close the cartridge 10 for use before or after removal of the head 14 (the latter in Figure 1 (not shown) the box 10 is transported to the intended recycling / processing location.

[0093] At said recycling / processing site, the cover 200 is removed and the upper parts 18 of the cartridges 12 arranged in the box 10 are removed by, for example, cutting them along said upper edge 110 of the box 10. Figure 1 Depicted as a dotted line R.

[0094] In this way, the cartridge 12 arranged inside the box 10 is divided into two parts, an upper part 18 and a remaining lower part 20. The lower part 20 can, for example, remain in the box 10, while the upper part 18 can be collected in a separate collection box / container (not shown).

[0095] By splitting the cartridge 12 into two pieces, it is ensured that the upper part 18, which typically still contains remnants of material that has previously been stored within the cartridge 12 (and which is typically non-recyclable), can be processed independently of the lower part 20, which is typically at least almost clean, so that the lower part 20 can be recycled to reduce the amount of plastic waste circulating in the environment.

[0096] In this regard, it should be noted that once the upper portion 18 of the cartridge 12 has been removed, the optional lid 200 previously used to transport the filled cartridge 10 can be reused to close the cartridge 10 for transporting the remaining lower portion 20 to their respective recycling / disposal locations (not shown). Alternatively, another separate lid 200 can be used to close the cartridge 10 for transporting the lower portion 20.

[0097] To facilitate removal of the upper portion 18 from the lower portion 20, the cartridge container 16 may include a separation section X (see, e.g., Figure 10 Or 11), the removal of the upper part 18 should take place at this separation section. For example, the cartridge container 16 can have a (locally) smaller wall thickness at the separation section X to allow easier removal of the upper part 18. Additionally or alternatively, one can also envision a perforated and thus weakened line as the separation section X, at which a cutting knife or saw can easily cut through the wall of the cartridge container 16.

[0098] Figure 10 and 11 A further possibility of allowing easier removal of the upper part 18 is shown in FIG. 1 by providing breaking features 34 ′, 34 ″.

[0099] Figure 10 Two exemplary embodiments of a separation section X and fracture features 34 ′, 34 ″ (geometrically exaggerated) are shown.

[0100] Figure 10 The embodiment shown on the left-hand side shows a cross section of a cartridge container 16 comprising a piston 26 which has not yet reached the position of the separation section X. The separation section X of the cartridge container is configured such that it comprises a breaking feature 34 ′ in the form of a recess 34 ′ which protrudes into the interior of the cartridge container 16 .

[0101] When the piston 26 reaches the position of the protrusion 34 ′, a greater force is required to keep the piston 26 moving towards the head 14 so that the recess 34 ′ is pushed radially outwards, thereby weakening the cartridge container 16 so that a predetermined separation section X is formed in the form of a predetermined breaking point.

[0102] Figure 10The right-hand side of the drawing shows an embodiment in which both the piston 26 and the cartridge container 16 include breaking features 34', 24". In this case, the breaking feature 34' of the cartridge container 16 is defined by the cartridge container 16, which includes a thinner wall thickness at the separation section X. The breaking feature 34" of the piston 26 is defined by the piston 26, which includes an annular protrusion 34", which is configured to penetrate the wall of the cartridge container 16 at said location once the piston 26 reaches said separation section 16.

[0103] Alternatively, in both of the above embodiments, the breaking features 34 ′, 34 ″ of the cartridge container 16 and piston 26 may simply be configured to provide tactile feedback to the user when dispensing the contents of the cartridge 12 so that the user knows the cartridge 12 is now ready to be discarded.

[0104] Figure 11 Another embodiment of an exemplary fracture feature is shown in the upper portion of FIG. In this case, the fracture feature 34 ′ of the cartridge container 16 is generally Figure 10 The left hand side is identical to the above embodiment. However, Figure 11 The right hand side of FIG. 3 shows a fracture feature 34 ′ in the form of a protrusion rather than a recess.

[0105] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the dispenser, the cartridge 12 of which is emptied, comprises a support sleeve 36 into which the cartridge 12 is inserted and which comprises a breaking feature 34 ″ complementary to the breaking feature 34 ′ of the cartridge container 16 .

[0106] It can be seen that in this case, the cartridge container 16 can be broken into two pieces, namely the upper portion 18 and the lower portion 20, by moving the breaking feature 34" of the support sleeve 36 towards the recess / protrusion 34' of the cartridge container 16 until the container wall yields and breaks.

[0107] exist Figure 11 The same concept is also shown on the lower left side of , wherein the only difference is that the breaking feature 34 ′ of the cartridge container 16 is given by the smaller wall thickness at the separation section X.

[0108] However, according to Figure 11 On the lower right side, instead of the support sleeve 6 including a breaking feature 34 ″ that matches the breaking feature 34 ′ (i.e., smaller wall thickness) of the cartridge container 16 , the front end of the piston rod 38 includes the breaking feature 34 ″, which is configured to move the piston 26 toward the head 14 of the cartridge 12.

[0109] The front end of the piston rod 38 may be configured such that once it reaches the separation section X, its breaking feature 34 ″ breaks through the thinner wall 34 ′, thereby breaking the cartridge 12 into the upper portion 18 and the lower portion 20 .

[0110] Obviously, the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary in nature, and the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0111] Figure 2 It is shown that the cassette 10 may further include a receiving space 22 configured to receive the cartridge 12. The receiving space 22 may be designed such that it is configured to secure the cartridge 12 in place, particularly during the step of removing the upper portion 18 of the cartridge 12.

[0112] One option for such a receiving space 22 is Figure 2 and 3 1 , wherein the receiving space 22 is formed by receiving elements 24 (in this case two rods or bars 24) which can be inserted from the rear end RE of the cartridge 12 into the cartridge container 16 until they come into contact with a piston 26 which is usually arranged inside the cartridge container 16 (see FIG. Figure 3 ).

[0113] In this way, the receiving element 24 can easily hold the cartridges 12 in place so that its / their upper portion 18 extends beyond the upper edge 110 of the box 10. In some cases, it is even possible that the receiving element 24 is adapted to the type of cartridges 12 being collected, for example by having a suitable length and / or transverse cross-section, so that a proper positioning of the cartridges 12 within the box 10 can be ensured.

[0114] In this regard, it is to be noted that the receiving element 24 can, for example, be constructed as a separate element which can be inserted into the box 10 when required and releasably connected to the box 10, or it can also be formed integrally with the box 10, so that the box 10 itself already comprises one or more receiving spaces 22, respectively receiving elements 24.

[0115] In some embodiments, the position where the receiving element 24 contacts the piston 26 defines the rear end of the upper portion 18. In this case, the cartridge container 16 is cut, for example, just between the front end of the receiving element 24 (i.e., the upper end in the figure) and the rear end of the piston 26 (i.e., the lower end in the figure). Figure 3 As depicted by the removal line R in .

[0116] Furthermore, it is possible that the receiving space 22, respectively the receiving element 24, comprises a cross-section that matches the cross-section of the cartridge 12, respectively the cartridge container 16, which cross-section should be processed to achieve a certain form of coding. In this way, only cartridges 12 of a certain type can be collected in a predetermined box 10, since other types of cartridges 12 will not fit in the coded receiving space 22.

[0117] Another option for providing a code could be some coding element such as a pin, a protrusion etc. or even an RFID chip etc. This allows identification of the collected cartridges 12 and the used cassettes 10 to determine which cartridge 12 needs to be collected in which specific cassette 10 .

[0118] In addition, if Figure 3 As can be seen, for example, the receiving element 24 can also be used to ensure that the lower end of the upper portion 18 is always defined by the lower end of the piston 26, so that when the cartridge 12 is not completely empty, it will extend beyond the upper edge 110 compared to an empty cartridge 12 (see FIG. Figure 4 This ensures that the piston 26 can seal the lower end of the upper part 18 so that no material leaks out of the upper part 18 and thus contaminates the lower part 20 and the box 10 and / or possibly other cartridges 12.

[0119] Figure 6 1 and 2. The step of removing the upper end 18 of the cartridge 12 is also shown, where one of the cartridges 12 is not completely empty. In this figure, it can also be seen that the half-empty cartridge 12 extends beyond the head 14 of the other cartridges 12, so that it will be separated at a different position of its cartridge container 16 than the other cartridges 12.

[0120] Thus, the receiving element 24 can be configured not only to hold the cartridge 12 in place. In addition, as mentioned above, it can be configured so that one can easily determine whether the cartridge 12 has been completely emptied. In addition, it is possible that the receiving element 24, respectively the receiving space 22, provides a coding device that only allows cartridges 12 of a certain type and / or shape to be collected in a predetermined box 10.

[0121] In the event that at least one of the collected cartridges 12 is not completely empty, it may be difficult to provide a lid 200 that is still able to close the box 10 for transport purposes. For this reason, it may be possible to see that the lid 200 includes a retaining element 220 configured to hold each cartridge 12 in place even if their upper ends, i.e. their heads 14, are not aligned in a common horizontal plane. Such a retaining element 220 is Figure 5 Schematically shown in the figure, it can be clearly seen that one cartridge 12 extending beyond the other cartridge 12 is matched with a retaining element 220, which is suitable for aligning the cover 200 horizontally to seal the box 10 for transportation so that the cartridge 12 is securely held in the box 10.

[0122] The retaining elements 220 can be designed in many different ways. For example, they can include a snap connection configured to secure the head 14 of the cartridge 12 to the lid 200. Additionally or alternatively, they can also include a cross-section adapted to the corresponding head 14 to be secured by the retaining elements 220. In some cases, it can also be possible that the retaining elements 220 bias the cartridge 12 against the bottom surface of the box 10 to better secure the cartridge 12 in place.

[0123] Furthermore, the holding member 220 may be configured as a separate member that can be attached to the inner surface of the cover 200. Alternatively, the cover 200 and the holding member 220 may also be integrally formed.

[0124] Another option for securely retaining the cartridge 12 within the box 10 is to provide an alignment element 28 configured to retain and secure the cartridge 12 in position within the box 10. An example of such an alignment element 28 is shown in FIG. Figure 7 , in which the alignment element 28 is provided in the form of a template with an opening 30 which corresponds to the cross section of the cartridge 12 which is to be held by said alignment element 28 .

[0125] As in Figure 7 As can be seen in FIG, the alignment element 28 can, for example, cover the entire interior of the box 10, just like the cover 200. However, it is also possible that the dimensions of one alignment element 28 are adapted to the dimensions of each individual receiving space 22 within the box 10, so that each cartridge 12 comprises its own alignment element 28.

[0126] In this regard, it should also be noted that, according to one embodiment, the alignment elements 28 may be provided as one or more separate elements, which are inserted into the cartridge 10 when required. Alternatively, it is also possible that one or more alignment elements 28 are integrally formed with the cartridge 10.

[0127] It can also be seen that by providing an alignment element 28 comprising one or more openings 30 having a shape corresponding to the cross-section of the respective cartridge 12 that is to be held by said alignment element 28, another type of coding can be ensured, since only cartridges 12 or individual parts of cartridges 12 of a certain size and shape can be inserted into the openings 30 of the alignment element 28 (see Figure 9 ), and can therefore also be inserted into the box 10 or another collection box.

[0128] Another option to ensure clear identification of the cartridges 12 and / or components that should be collected could be to provide additional coding features 32', 32", which are Figure 7 and 8As can be seen, both the cartridge 12 and the alignment element 28 comprise coding features 32 ′, 32 ″ that correspond to each other, so that only such cartridges 12 comprising the correct coding features 32 ″ can be inserted into the intended cassette 10 .

[0129] This may be particularly advantageous in situations where several cartridges 12 that were previously filled with different materials appear identical from the outside, so that one cannot easily see and determine which cartridge 12 contains which product.

[0130] exist Figure 7 and 8 In the case of Figure 8 The left barrel 12 can be inserted Figure 7 If the template 28 is provided with two coding features 32', only Figure 8 The cartridges 12 depicted on the right hand side include two complementary coding features 32" that can be stored in the box 10. It will be appreciated that the coding features 32', 32" on the template 28 and cartridges 12, respectively, can be designed so that only a very specific type of cartridge 12 or a group of types of cartridges 12 can be stored in the box 10. In this example, Figure 8 The two cartridges 12 form a set of cartridges 12 that can be inserted into the opening 30 .

[0131] By observation Figure 9 It can also be seen that the opening 30 of the alignment element 28 itself can also be shaped as a coding feature 32 ′ by having a shape that matches only a single component of the cartridge 12 so that only that specific component can be inserted into the box 10 .

[0132] Other options for such coding features 32 ′, 32 ″ may be matching protrusions, recesses, pins, holes, markings, labels (particularly RFID tags), instructions, color coding and / or combinations thereof.

[0133] It can thus be seen that by means of the system and method according to the invention a particularly efficient and safe way of handling and recycling cartridges can be provided, which not only results in a safer way of disposing of hazardous waste, but can also lead to a reduction in plastic circulating in the environment, since a large part of the used cartridges can be saved and therefore recycled.

[0134] Reference numerals

[0135] Accommodation portion 10

[0136] Barrel 12

[0137] Head 14

[0138] Barrel container 16

[0139] upper part 18

[0140] Lower 20

[0141] Receiving Space 22

[0142] Receiving element 24

[0143] Piston 26

[0144] Alignment element 28

[0145] Opening 30

[0146] Coded features 32', 32"

[0147] Fracture feature 34', 34"

[0148] Support sleeve 36

[0149] Piston rod 38

[0150] Upper edge 110

[0151] Cover 200

[0152] Retaining element 220

[0153] Remove line R

[0154] Backend RE

[0155] Separation segment X

Claims

1. A method for processing and recycling at least one cartridge, said cartridge comprising a cartridge container and a head, said cartridge further being configured to store at least one material, said method comprising the steps of: - providing the at least one cartridge and at least one receptacle (10) configured to receive the at least one cartridge; - placing the cartridge into the receiving portion so that at least the upper portion of the cartridge, in particular the head portion, extends beyond the upper opening edge of the receiving portion; as well as The upper part of the cartridge, in particular at least the head, is removed from the cartridge container at a plane extending along the upper edge of the receptacle.

2. The method according to claim 1, in, The head is made of a rigid material that is sealingly and fixedly connected to the cartridge container.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, in, The head further comprises an outlet through which the at least one material is dispensed.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The cartridge container is made of a hard material.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The cartridge further includes a piston configured to push material stored within the cartridge toward the head and further configured to seal a rear end of the cartridge container.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in, The cartridge container is made of a flexible material, in particular a film material consisting of one or more layers of material.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The cartridge is any one of a 1K and a 2K cartridge.

8. The method according to claim 7, in, In the case of a 2K cartridge, the cartridge comprises two cartridge containers which are arranged coaxially or next to each other.

9. The method according to claim 8, in, The heads of the two cartridge containers consist of two separate head elements, ie one head element for each container.

10. The method according to claim 8, in, The heads of the two cartridge containers are the common heads of the two cartridge containers.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The cartridge container comprises a predetermined separation section at which the upper portion of the cartridge is removed during the step of removing the upper portion of the cartridge.

12. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 11, in, When the cartridge is placed in the receiving portion in a prescribed manner and the rear end of the piston is located above the upper edge of the receiving portion, the separation section is arranged between the upper edge of the receiving portion and the rear end of the piston.

13. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 12, in, The piston and the cartridge container comprise corresponding breaking features which, when aligned, allow the upper portion of the cartridge to be removed, wherein the breaking features specifically identify the predetermined removal section of the cartridge.

14. The method according to claim 13, in, The breaking features include mating protrusions, pins, holes, recesses, and / or combinations thereof.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The receptacle is configured to receive more than one cartridge.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The receiving portion comprises a substantially circular, oval, rectangular, square or polygonal inner and / or outer shape.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The housing portion includes an internal receiving space configured to receive the at least one cartridge, wherein the receiving space includes a minimum height that depends on a longitudinal length of the cartridge.

18. The method according to claim 17, in, The minimum height lies in the range of 50% to 99%, preferably 60% to 90%, in particular 75% to 85% of the longitudinal length of the cartridge container.

19. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The step of removing at least the upper portion includes cutting, breaking, laser cutting, shearing, sawing and / or a combination thereof.

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, The method further comprises providing at least one receiving section at the bottom surface of the receiving portion, between the bottom surface and the cartridge, wherein the receiving section is configured to adjust the height between the rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the receiving portion.

21. The method according to claim 20, in, The receiving section comprises a cross-section that matches the interior and / or exterior transverse cross-section of the cartridge container.

22. The method according to any one of claims 6 and 20 or 21, in, The receiving section is configured to hold and / or compress a flexible cartridge container such that the head extends beyond an upper edge of the receptacle.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, in, The receiving section is a separate element, preferably a separate element which can be releasably fixed at the bottom surface of the receptacle by means of a snap connection, a bayonet connection and / or a form-fit connection.

24. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Also included is the step of providing an alignment element in the receptacle, either before or after the step of placing the at least one cartridge into the receptacle, the alignment element being configured to hold the cartridge in an upright position.

25. The method according to claim 24, The alignment element is configured as a template including at least one opening through which the cartridge extends.

26. The method according to any one of claims 24 or 25, in, The alignment element and the cartridge include corresponding coding features that mate with each other.

27. The method according to claim 26, in, The coding features include matching protrusions, recesses, pins, holes, markings, labels, in particular RFID tags, instructions, color coding and / or combinations thereof.

28. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The receptacle includes additional keying features that allow only certain types of cartridges, heads, and / or containers to be received in the receptacle.

29. The method according to claim 28, in, The keying feature is selected from the group consisting of: a color code, a marking, a template, a label, in particular an RFID tag, a legend, a protrusion, a recess, a pin, a hole and / or a combination thereof.

30. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, It also includes the step of covering the receiving portion with a cover element before the upper portion of the cartridge is removed and / or after it has been removed.

31. The method according to claim 30, in, The cover element is configured to close the receiving portion by extending beyond the upper edge toward the bottom of the receiving portion.

32. The method according to any one of claims 30 and 31, in, The cover element includes at least one retaining element configured to engage with the head portion when the receptacle is closed with the cover to hold the head portion in place.

33. The method according to claim 32, in, The retaining element is further configured to bias the cartridge against the bottom of the receptacle.

34. The method according to any one of claims 32 and 33, in, The retaining element is configured to align the cover with an upper edge of the receiving portion.

35. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Additionally included is the step of providing at least one collection box configured to store an upper portion of the cartridge, such as a head, or a remaining lower portion of the cartridge, such as a cartridge container, after removal of the upper portion from the cartridge.

36. The method according to claim 35, in, The collection cassette includes a coding feature that allows only a specific type of upper portion or lower portion to be received in the cassette.

37. The method according to claim 36, in, The coding feature is selected from the group consisting of a color code, a mark, a template, a label, in particular an RFID tag, a legend, a protrusion, a recess, a pin, a hole and / or a combination of the aforementioned.

38. A processing and recovery system configured to process and recover cartridges configured to store and dispense at least one material, in particular a fluid, the system comprising: At least one cartridge having a cartridge container and a head, wherein the container and the head are sealedly connected to each other; and a receiving portion, which is configured to receive and store the at least one cartridge so that the upper part of the cartridge, in particular the head, extends beyond the upper edge of the receiving portion, in particular wherein the components of the system are configured to perform the method according to any of the preceding claims.

39. The treatment and recovery system according to claim 38, in, The cartridge container comprises a predetermined separation section at which the upper part of the cartridge is removed, in particular cut, broken, laser cut, sheared, sawed and / or a combination of the aforementioned.

40. A treatment and recovery system according to claim 38 or 39, in, The cartridge container is one of a flexible and a rigid cartridge container, wherein the rigid cartridge container particularly includes a piston configured to seal a rear end of the container and further configured to push the material stored in the cartridge toward the head.

41. A treatment and recovery system according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The accommodation portion further includes at least one receiving section located at a bottom surface of the accommodation portion, the receiving section being configured to receive the cartridge, and in particular, the receiving section being further configured to adjust a height between a rear end of the cartridge and the bottom surface of the accommodation portion.

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