Recyclable assembly and method for its handling

Abstract

The invention relates to a recyclable assembly (10; 10a) comprising a carrier element (15; 15a) which is connected to components (1 to 6) in the region of connection points (18), and comprising at least one volume-variable expansion element (25; 25a) which is designed to occupy a first volume in a first state and a second volume which is larger than the first volume in a second state, wherein the at least one expansion element (25; 25a) has at least one chamber (G, H; J) and / or at least one channel (A to E) which can be filled with a pressurized gaseous, liquid or solid medium (M) to form the second state.

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a recyclable assembly characterized by a particularly simple possibility of detaching components from a carrier element in the event of recycling or disposal of the assembly. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for handling a recyclable assembly designed according to the invention. State of the art

[0002] In the wake of increasing environmental awareness and the need for technical devices to be recycled or disposed of as easily as possible, technologies are already being used to simplify the recycling of components. For example, in the case of electronic devices, this means that electronic or electrical components arranged on a circuit carrier, such as a printed circuit board, can be removed or separated from the circuit carrier as easily as possible, so that they can either be disposed of separately or reused. For example, joining technologies such as mechanical fastening elements are used, which are arranged and designed to make it as easy as possible to release the connection between the circuit carrier and the components.However, recycling such assemblies typically requires detaching or removing each component individually from the assembly's support element. This involves a relatively high level of effort and correspondingly high costs. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] The recyclable assembly according to the invention with the features of claim 1 has the advantage that it enables a particularly simple, effective and rapid separation of components arranged on a carrier element and / or connected to the carrier element.

[0004] The invention is based on the idea of ​​introducing a pressurized medium into at least one volume-variable expansion element during recycling, which ensures mechanical destruction or mechanical breaking of the connection points between the support element and the components and / or between the housing components of the assembly. A key feature here is that, in contrast to the prior art, it is typically sufficient that not each component has to be separated individually from the support element. Instead, by (single) introducing the medium into the volume-variable expansion element, a large number, ideally all components, can be mechanically detached or separated from the support element simultaneously.The concept underlying the invention enables the rapid disassembly of a wide variety of products that feature at least one expansion element and are constructed, for example, using plastic housings at the end of their life cycle. Examples of such products include control units for a wide variety of applications, machines for home or trade use, engine-gearbox assemblies, and similar assemblies.

[0005] Against the background of the above explanations, a recyclable assembly with the features of claim 1 therefore has a carrier element that is connected to components in the region of connection points. Furthermore, at least one volume-variable expansion element is provided, which is designed to occupy a first volume in a first state and a second volume that is larger than the first volume in a second state. The expansion element has at least one chamber and / or at least one channel that can be filled with a pressurized gaseous, liquid, or solid medium to form the second state. Filling with the medium causes the expansion element to expand from the first to the second state, wherein the connection points between the components and the carrier element are mechanically weakened, loosened, or destroyed by the generation of mechanical stresses.

[0006] Advantageous further developments of the recyclable assembly according to the invention are listed in the subclaims.

[0007] In order not only to separate the components typically located in the interior of a housing of the assembly, but at the same time to enable easy access to the components without an additional disassembly step of the housing, it is provided that the assembly has a housing with at least two housing parts connected to one another, and that the at least one chamber and / or the at least one channel causes the connection point between the two housing parts to be broken open.

[0008] It is particularly preferred if the at least one chamber and / or the at least one channel of the expansion element can be filled with the medium via a common introduction point. This enables an increase in the volume of the expansion element with a corresponding separation of the connection points through a single handling process. The introduction point can be designed or arranged either as a separate component or connection option, or can be formed by providing the expansion element with a bore at a defined location for carrying out recycling, for example, which allows the expansion element to be filled with the medium.

[0009] Furthermore, the components or housing parts can be detached particularly easily and effectively if the at least one chamber and / or the at least one channel are arranged in the region of the connection points, preferably in at least partial overlap with the connection points and / or the components and / or the housing parts. As a result, the volume increase and thus the introduction of the mechanical stresses of the expansion element takes place directly at the connection points to the components or housing parts, whereby particularly high mechanical stresses can be generated at the connection points.

[0010] The expansion element is preferably in the form of an elastic film composite consisting of one or more layers or a rubber-like hose body. In particular, when using two layers or layers of an (elastic) film arranged one above the other and connected or welded to one another at the edges, the geometric arrangement and shapes of the required chambers or channels can be created very easily. In the first state, the layers or layers of the expansion element arranged one above the other are preferably arranged in contact with one another, so that the expansion element is designed as a flat expansion element. When pressurized with the medium to achieve the second state, its height (orDiameter in the case of a channel) so that the layers or strata move away from each other and, as the volume increases, generate the necessary mechanical stresses to break the joints.

[0011] There are also different options regarding the arrangement of the expansion element. In a first embodiment, the at least one expansion element is arranged at least partially integrated into the cross-section of the assembly and is formed by bores and / or recesses in the assembly. The expansion element is thus not formed by a component separate from the assembly, but rather by the assembly or the support element itself, which expands in certain areas when the medium is introduced (preferably without the medium escaping from the assembly or the support element).

[0012] Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for the at least one expansion element to be arranged at least partially integrated into the cross-section of the assembly, and for the at least one expansion element to be formed by at least one flexible element, in particular in the form of a film or a tube. This allows for particularly simple, locally selective generation of stresses at the connection points, and both the assembly and / or the support element and the expansion element can be optimally adapted to the respective requirements.

[0013] A further embodiment provides that the at least one expansion element is connected to an outer surface of the support element. This allows the support element and / or the expansion element to have a particularly simple structure.

[0014] The recyclable assembly according to the invention can be designed in different ways or serve as a component of a wide variety of devices. However, a particularly preferred embodiment of the assembly provides for its carrier element to be a printed circuit board, and the components to be electrical or electronic components connected to the circuit carrier.

[0015] Due to the nature of the mechanical separation of the connection points, the recyclable assembly according to the invention is also fundamentally suitable for connecting the components to the carrier element in different ways. In particular, the connection points between the components and the carrier element or between the housing parts can be designed as adhesive joints, solder joints, or mechanical connection points.

[0016] Furthermore, the invention also encompasses a method for handling a recyclable assembly according to the invention as described so far. The method according to the invention is characterized in that, for separating the components connected to the carrier element and / or for separating the interconnected housing parts, the pressurized medium is introduced into the at least one expansion element, which leads to mechanical stresses in the region of at least one connection point, preferably all connection points, so that the at least one connection point, preferably all connection points, is / are mechanically weakened, loosened, or destroyed.

[0017] Gas, especially compressed air, is the preferred medium for increasing the volume of the expansion element. The use of compressed air has the advantage of being relatively readily available and having no negative impact on the environment when released into the atmosphere. However, liquid media or even solid media, for example in the form of small beads or similar, or even mixtures of gaseous, liquid, and solid media can also be used.

[0018] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the drawings. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 shows a schematic individual representation of a volume-variable expansion element, Fig. 2 the expansion element according to the Fig. 1 in a state connected to a carrier element or arranged in an assembly, Fig. 3 a section in plane III-III of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 in a sectional view a further assembly with an expansion element arranged in the assembly before and after filling the expansion element with a medium. Embodiments of the invention

[0019] Identical elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures.

[0020] In the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 shows a highly simplified representation of a recyclable assembly 10. The assembly 10 is, for example, an electromechanical device 12 with a housing 13 and a carrier element 15 in the form of a printed circuit board 16 arranged in the interior of the housing 13. Six components 1 to 6 are arranged or fastened on a surface of the carrier element 15 or the printed circuit board 16, for example. The components 1 to 6 can be fastened in the region of connection points 18 in a variety of ways. For example, particularly in the case of electronic or electrical components 1 to 6, the components 1 to 6 can be connected to the carrier element 15 by soldered connections, sintered connections, electrically conductive adhesive connections, or similar. However, mechanical connections are also conceivable, for example clamps that mechanically press or press the components 1 to 6 against the surface of the carrier element 15.

[0021] The housing 13 has, for example, a flat housing cover 20, which is connected, for example, by a circumferential adhesive connection 21 as a connection point 18 to the edge region of a shell-shaped housing lower part 22 in order to prevent media access to the components 1 to 6.

[0022] From a summary of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 it can be seen that the assembly 10 further comprises at least one, in the exemplary embodiment exactly one volume-variable expansion element 25. The expansion element 25 has, by way of example and not by way of limitation, according to the Fig. 1 has five channels A to E, which open at a common introduction point F for a medium M. The introduction point F is, for example, on a side wall of the housing 13 according to the Fig. 2. While channels A, B, and C are each closed on the side facing away from the insertion point F, channels D and E open into rectangular chambers G and H.

[0023] The expansion element 25 consists of a flexible or stretchable material, for example of two interconnected layers of a plastic film or of a rubber material or a rubber, and is characterized in that the volume has a first volume in a first state in which no pressurized medium M is introduced into the expansion element 25 via the introduction point F, whereas during or after the introduction of the medium M via the introduction point F, the expansion element 25 occupies a second volume which is larger than the first volume. When the medium M is introduced, the channels A to E or the chambers G and H expand, increasing in volume. For example, the channels A to E and the chambers G and H are flat or planar in the first state, and have a round or pillow-shaped cross-section in the second state.

[0024] The introduction point F can be designed as a closed or open element and can either be made of the same materials as the channels A to E or the chambers G and H, or can be formed by a separate body, for example an injection-molded body, which is connected to the channels A to E in a suitable manner.

[0025] The expansion element 25 is arranged so as to be integrated in the assembly 10 or the device 12. In particular, the arrangement of the channels A to E or the chambers G and H is such that they are arranged at least partially in the area, i.e. overlapping or at a short distance from the connection points 18 of components 1 to 6 or between the housing cover 20 and the housing base 22. The end section of the channel A facing away from the insertion point F thus surrounds component 1 at a short distance. The corresponding end section of the channel B runs in a meandering shape below component 2. The channel C is arranged almost entirely in a recess 26 in the housing base 22 arranged in the area of ​​the adhesive connection 21. The chamber G is arranged within the connection point 18 designed as an adhesive connection in overlap with component 3. The channel E runs in sections below component 6 and its chamber H is arranged below component 5.

[0026] In order to separate the components 1 to 6 from the support element 15 and the housing cover 20 from the housing base 22 at the end of the life cycle of the assembly 10 or the device 12, the invention provides that the connection points 18 are mechanically destroyed, or at least mechanically weakened to such an extent that easier removal of the components 1 to 6 and the housing cover 20 is possible. As already mentioned above, this is achieved by introducing a pressurized medium M into the expansion element 25 via the introduction point F.

[0027] The medium M is preferably a gas, in particular compressed air. However, liquids and / or solid media, such as small beads, are also suitable as medium M. The only essential factor is that the volume of the expansion element 25 increases from the first to the second state due to the introduction of the pressurized medium M. In this case, mechanical stresses ideally occur in the area of ​​the connection points 18 such that the components 1 to 6 are released from the carrier element 15 and the housing cover 20 is released from the housing base 22, which is indicated by the arrows 28 in the Fig. 3 should be clarified.

[0028] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the assembly 10a has a housing 33 consisting of two housing half-shells 31, 32, which are connected to one another by locking elements 34, 35 as connection points 18. The housing 33 simultaneously forms a support element 15a for components 1 to 4 arranged in the interior of the housing 33. The two components 1 and 2 are connected to the housing 33 and the support element 15a via a common connection point 18, while components 3 and 4 each have separate connection points 18 with the support element 15a. The connection points 18 are designed, for example, in the form of holding webs 38 made of plastic and having predetermined breaking points. The expansion element 25a is designed in the form of a flat chamber J, which in the first state is connected to the components 1 to 4 orthe connecting points 18 is arranged such that when the medium M is introduced via the introduction point F, the chamber J expands in the second state in such a way that the connecting elements 18 or the holding webs 38 as well as the locking element 35 are destroyed in order to separate the components 1 to 4 from the carrier element 15a and to enable access to the interior of the housing 33 (. Fig. 5).

[0029] The assembly 10, 10a described so far can be modified or altered in a variety of ways without deviating from the inventive concept. For example, it is conceivable that the expansion element 25, 25a is designed as a (in the first state) flat, elastic membrane, which is connected at its edges to a rigid support element 15, 15a. The expansion element 25, 25a thus has only one elastic side.

[0030] The expansion element 25, 25a also does not have to be designed as a separate component from the carrier element 15, 15a. For example, it is conceivable to form the expansion element 15, 15a by means of cavities or channels and chambers formed in the carrier element 15, 15a. These channels or chambers can, for example, be formed or produced very easily during the manufacture of the carrier element 15, 15a using an additive process. By means of an appropriate design or geometry in conjunction with a suitable material for the carrier element 15, 15a and the correct pressure of the medium M, stresses can be generated in the wall of the channels or chambers, which lead to the connection points 18 breaking open due to an increase in volume of the assembly or the carrier element. The expansion element 25, 25a can also be formed during the manufacture of the carrier element 15, 15a orof the housing 13, 33, for example by overmolding, together with the housing 13, 33 or fastened to the housing 13, 33. Furthermore, the expansion element 25, 25a can also be arranged at least partially on an outer surface of the assembly 10, 10a.

[0031] Combinations of the aforementioned embodiments are also conceivable. Furthermore, multiple, possibly differently designed expansion elements 25, 25a can be provided on the assembly 10, 10a. Instead of an (open) insertion point F, the expansion element 25, 25a can also be filled with the medium M by forming a bore or piercing in the area of ​​a channel A to E or a chamber G, H, J, so that no (separate) insertion point F is required.

Claims

[1] Recyclable assembly (10; 10a), with a carrier element (15; 15a) which is connected to components (1 to 6) in the region of connection points (18), and with at least one volume-variable expansion element (25; 25a) which is designed to occupy a first volume in a first state and a second volume which is larger than the first volume in a second state, wherein the at least one expansion element (25; 25a) has at least one chamber (G, H; J) and / or at least one channel (A to E), whichwhich can be filled with a pressurized gaseous and / or liquid and / or solid medium (M) to form the second state, such that when the expansion element (25; 25a) expands from the first into the second state, at least one, preferably all, of the connection points (18) between the components (1 to 6) and the carrier element (15; 15a) is / are mechanically weakened, loosened or destroyed by generating mechanical stresses. [2] Assembly according to claim 1, characterized by that the assembly (10; 10a) has a housing (13; 33) with at least two housing parts (20, 22; 31, 32) connected to one another, and that the at least one chamber (J) and / or the at least one channel (C) causes the connection point (18) between the two housing parts (20, 22; 31, 32) to break open. [3] Assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the at least one chamber (G, H; J) and / or the at least one channel (A to E) can be filled with the medium (M) via a common introduction point (F). [4] Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the at least one chamber (G, H; J) and / or the at least one channel (A to E) are / is arranged in the region of the connecting points (18), preferably in at least partial overlap with the connecting points (18) and / or the components (1 to 6) and / or the housing parts (20, 22; 31, 32). [5] Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the at least one expansion element (25; 25a) is arranged at least partially integrated into the cross-section of the assembly (10; 10a) and is formed by bores and / or recesses in the assembly (10; 10a). [6] Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the at least one expansion element (25; 25a) is arranged at least partially integrated into the cross-section of the assembly (10; 10a) and is formed by at least one flexible element, in particular in the form of a film or a hose. [7] Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the at least one expansion element (25; 25a) is connected to an outer surface of the carrier element (15; 15a). [8] Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the carrier element (15) is a printed circuit board (16) and the components (1 to 6) are electrical or electronic components (1 to 6) connected to the printed circuit board (16). [9] Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat the connection points (18) between the components (1 to 6) and the carrier element (15; 15a) or between the interconnected housing parts (20, 22; 31, 32) are designed as adhesive points, soldering points or mechanical connection points. [10] Method for handling a recyclable assembly (10; 10a) designed according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by in that, in order to separate the components (1 to 6) connected to the carrier element (15; 15a) and / or to separate the housing parts (20, 22; 31, 32) connected to one another, the pressurized medium (M) is introduced into the at least one expansion element (25; 25a), which medium leads to mechanical stresses in the region of at least one connection point (18), preferably all connection points (18), so that the at least one connection point (18), preferably all connection points (18), is / are mechanically weakened, loosened or destroyed. [11] Method according to claim 10, characterized by that a gas, in particular compressed air, is used as the medium (M).

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