Material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap and method for processing electrical and electronic component scrap

Abstract

The electrical and electronic component scraps are fed to the material sorting device efficiently and with sufficient spacing between them, using a simpler configuration. [Solution] A material supply device 1 for supplying electrical and electronic component waste S to a material sorting device 2, comprising: a first transport section 13A having a first transport surface 131 for transporting electrical and electronic component waste S in a first direction FD; a second transport section 13B having a second transport surface 132 for transporting electrical and electronic component waste S in a second direction SD that intersects the first direction FD perpendicularly or diagonally; a first sensor 14 for detecting a first interval I1 of electrical and electronic component waste S in the first direction FD; a second sensor 16 for detecting a second interval I2 of electrical and electronic component waste S in the second direction SD; a first rejector 15 for removing electrical and electronic component waste S adjacent to the first direction FD from the first transport surface 131 when the detection result of the first interval I1 is less than or equal to a set value; and a second rejector 17 for removing electrical and electronic component waste S adjacent to the second direction SD from the second transport surface 132 when the detection result of the second interval I2 is less than or equal to a set value.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a material supply device for electric and electronic component scraps and a method for processing electric and electronic component scraps.

Background Art

[0002] Recycling valuable metals such as copper from electric and electronic component scraps of waste household appliances, PCs, mobile phones, etc. has become increasingly popular, and efficient recycling methods are being studied.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent No. 6050222 (Patent Document 1) describes pulverizing electric and electronic component scraps containing copper into a predetermined size and processing the pulverized electric and electronic component scraps in a copper smelting furnace (autogenous furnace).

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 6228843 (Patent Document 2) describes a process of pulverizing electric and electronic component scraps containing copper and a process of classifying the pulverized electric and electronic component scraps using air classification. The fine powder of electric and electronic component scraps obtained by air classification is processed in a smelting furnace, and the granular materials larger than the fine powder are processed in an oxidizing smelting furnace (converter).

[0005] In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-343044 (Patent Document 3) describes an example of a supply device for supplying objects one by one at intervals in the conveying direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In recent years, with the increasing proportion of raw materials derived from electrical and electronic component scrap in copper smelting raw materials, the amount of smelting inhibitors in the smelting raw materials processed in smelting furnaces or oxidation smelting furnaces has also increased. When the ratio of smelting inhibitors to smelting raw materials becomes high, the processing efficiency of the copper smelting process decreases, and there is a risk that the recovery efficiency of valuable metals will decrease. For this reason, it is preferable to remove smelting inhibitors contained in electrical and electronic component scrap beforehand before it is introduced into the furnace, but such measures are not taken in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0008] In recovering valuable metals from electrical and electronic component scrap and removing smelting-inhibiting substances, material sorting equipment is typically used. However, to sort specific substances with high precision, it is preferable to supply the raw materials to the material sorting equipment one by one with spacing between them. For example, when raw materials are identified by image processing, it takes time to process the information, so it is desirable to supply the raw materials one by one with spacing between them. On the other hand, electrical and electronic component scrap contains parts with various shapes and specific gravities, so it is usually difficult to transport such raw materials one by one with spacing between them.

[0009] The invention described in Patent Document 3 is useful in that it can supply objects one by one with spacing in the transport direction. However, the device configuration is complex, and maintenance work is cumbersome, making it unsuitable for transporting large quantities of electrical and electronic component waste.

[0010] In view of the above issues, the present invention provides a material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap and a method for processing electrical and electronic component scrap that can efficiently supply electrical and electronic component scrap to a material sorting device with a simpler configuration and at a greater distance from each other. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a material supply device for electrical and electronic component scraps for supplying a plurality of electrical and electronic component scraps to a material sorting device with intervals between them, comprising: a first transport unit having a first transport surface for transporting electrical and electronic component scraps in a first direction; a second transport unit having a second transport surface for transporting electrical and electronic component scraps in a second direction perpendicular or oblique to the first direction, and receiving the electrical and electronic component scraps from the first transport surface of the first transport unit to the second transport surface; a first sensor capable of detecting the first interval in the first direction between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps on the first transport surface; and A material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap is provided, comprising: a second sensor capable of detecting the second spacing in a second direction between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps on two transport surfaces; a first rejector positioned downstream of the first sensor in the first direction, which removes one of the adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps from the first transport surface when the detection result of the first spacing is less than or equal to a set value; and a second rejector positioned downstream of the second sensor in the second direction, which removes one of the adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps from the second transport surface when the detection result of the second spacing is less than or equal to a set value.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for processing electrical and electronic component waste is provided, which includes supplying electrical and electronic component waste to a first transport unit having a first transport surface for transporting a plurality of electrical and electronic component waste in a first direction, detecting the first distance between adjacent electrical and electronic component waste in a first direction on the first transport surface using a first sensor, removing one of the adjacent electrical and electronic component waste in the first direction from the first transport surface when the detection result of the first distance by the first sensor is less than or equal to a set value, transporting the electrical and electronic component waste from the first transport surface of the first transport unit to a second transport surface of a second transport unit that transports it in a second direction perpendicular or diagonally to the first direction, detecting the second distance between adjacent electrical and electronic component waste in a second direction using a second sensor, removing one of the adjacent electrical and electronic component waste in the second direction from the second transport surface when the detection result of the second distance by the second sensor is less than or equal to a set value, and supplying the electrical and electronic component waste from the second transport unit to a material sorting device for electrical and electronic component waste. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to this disclosure, the present invention provides a material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap and a method for processing electrical and electronic component scrap that can efficiently supply electrical and electronic component scrap to a material sorting device with a simpler configuration and at a greater distance from each other. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing a material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2(a) is a plan view showing the interior of a drum feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2(b) is a side view of the drum feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3(a) is a side view of a vibratory feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3(b) is a front view of a vibratory feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This graph shows an example of the change in the output signal (voltage data) of the first sensor when detecting electrical and electronic component scrap passing through the first transport surface according to an embodiment of the present invention using the first sensor. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown below are illustrative of devices and methods for realizing the technical idea of ​​this invention, and the technical idea of ​​this invention is not limited to the structure, arrangement, etc. of the components described below.

[0016] (Scrap electrical and electronic components) The electrical and electronic component scrap S processed by the electrical and electronic component scrap material supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention refers to scrap obtained by crushing discarded home appliances, PCs, mobile phones, and other electronic and electrical equipment, and which has been collected and then crushed to an appropriate size. In this embodiment, the crushing to produce electrical and electronic component scrap S may be carried out by the processor themselves, or it may be purchased from a marketplace or similar institution.

[0017] As a crushing method, it is not limited to a specific device, and either a shearing method or an impact method may be used. However, it is desirable to perform crushing that does not damage the shape of the parts as much as possible. In this embodiment, it is preferable to process the electric and electronic component scraps S that have been crushed to a representative diameter of 100 mm or less, 70 mm or less, and further 50 mm or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but the representative diameter is 5 mm or more, more typically 10 mm or more, further 15 mm or more, and even further 20 mm or more. The "representative diameter" means that 100 arbitrary points are extracted from the electric and electronic component scraps S, the average value of the major diameters of the extracted electric and electronic component scraps S is calculated, and this represents the average value when this is repeated 5 times. Such electric and electronic component scraps S include substrate scraps, copper wire scraps, metal scraps, plastic scraps, etc., and these include a plurality of component scraps having different sizes, shapes, and specific gravities from each other.

[0018] (Material supply device for electric and electronic component scraps) The material supply device 1 for the electric and electronic component scraps S according to an embodiment of the present invention is a material supply device 1 for the electric and electronic component scraps S that supplies a plurality of electric and electronic component scraps S to the material sorting device 2 while leaving a space between them. As shown in FIG. 1, the material supply device 1 includes a first transport unit 13A having a first transport surface 131 that transports the electric and electronic component scraps S in the first direction FD, and a second transport surface 132 that transports the electric and electronic component scraps S in a second direction SD that intersects or obliquely intersects the first direction FD. A transport unit 13 having a second transport unit 13B, a first sensor 14 capable of detecting a first interval I1 in the first direction FD between adjacent electric and electronic component scraps S on the first transport surface 131, and a second sensor 16 capable of detecting a second interval I2 in the second direction SD between adjacent electric and electronic component scraps S on the second transport surface 132, and a first rejector 15 disposed on the downstream side in the first direction FD from the first sensor 14, which removes one of the electric and electronic component scraps S adjacent in the first direction FD from the first transport surface 131 when the detection result of the first interval I1 is below a set value, and a second rejector 17 disposed on the downstream side in the second direction SD from the second sensor 16, which removes one of the electric and electronic component scraps S adjacent in the second direction SD from the second transport surface 132 when the detection result of the second interval I2 is below a set value.

[0019] The material supply device 1 preferably includes a feeder 10 for supplying the electric and electronic component scraps S one by one onto the first conveying surface 131. The feeder 10 preferably includes a drum feeder 11 capable of quantitatively supplying the electric and electronic component scraps S, and a vibration feeder 12 that applies vibration to the electric and electronic component scraps S supplied from the drum feeder 11 so as to widen the intervals between the electric and electronic component scraps S supplied to the first conveying surface 131.

[0020] The drum feeder 11 is a feeder for quantitatively supplying the electric and electronic component scraps S at predetermined time intervals. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the drum feeder 11 includes a rotary drum 111 that rotatably accommodates the electric and electronic component scraps S, a plurality of rotating blades 112 arranged along the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the rotary drum 111, which rotate with the rotation of the rotary drum 111 to capture the electric and electronic component scraps S, and a discharge tray 113 that is arranged at the center of the rotary drum 111, is configured to collect the electric and electronic component scraps S captured by the rotating blades 112, and discharges the collected electric and electronic component scraps S outside the rotary drum 111.

[0021] The rotary drum 111 has a bottomed cylindrical shape and is made of stainless steel or the like. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the rotary drum 111 is supported by a support base 115. The rotary drum 111 is arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction such that the opening 116 faces obliquely upward.

[0022] The rotating blades 112 are stainless steel plate-shaped members that protrude approximately 50 to 200 mm, more preferably 70 to 150 mm, in the central direction from the inner circumferential surface of the rotating drum 111. The rotating blades 112 are arranged at regular intervals along the inner circumferential surface of the rotating drum 111. As the rotating drum 111 rotates, the rotating blades 112 can rotate, for example, in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2(a), with the electrical and electronic component scrap S contained in the rotating drum 111 resting on the rotating blades 112. The electrical and electronic component scrap S is captured by being scooped up by the rotating blades 112 at the bottom of the rotating drum 111, and then falls from the rotating blades 112 at the top of the rotating drum 111 by its own weight and is discharged into the discharge tray 113. To make it easier for the rotating blades 112 to capture the electrical and electronic component scrap S, an anti-slip member, such as a rubber sheet, may be placed on the surface of the rotating blades 112.

[0023] The discharge tray 113 is made of, for example, stainless steel, and has a V-shape formed by joining two plates, as shown in Figure 2(a). The discharge tray 113 has surfaces that receive electrical and electronic component waste S that are inclined such that the inclination angle θ1 with respect to the horizontal plane is, for example, 50 to 60°, and is positioned in the center of the rotating drum 111.

[0024] The electrical and electronic component waste S contained in the discharge tray 113 is supplied to the vibrating feeder 12 shown in Figure 2(b), which is positioned at the opening 116 of the rotating drum 111. The rotating blades 112 are arranged along the inner circumference of the rotating drum 111 at regular intervals, so that a fixed amount of electrical and electronic component waste S captured by the rotating blades 112 is discharged to the discharge tray 113 at regular time intervals as the rotating blades 112 rotate. This ensures a fixed quantity of electrical and electronic component waste S is supplied from the drum feeder 11 to the vibrating feeder 12. The discharge tray 113 may be omitted, and the end of the vibrating feeder 12 may be directly connected to the center of the rotating drum 111.

[0025] There are no particular restrictions on the method of supplying electrical and electronic component scrap S to the drum feeder 11. A separate feeder (not shown) may be provided for supplying electrical and electronic component scrap S to the drum feeder 11. In the example shown in Figure 1, new electrical and electronic component scrap S is supplied as raw material to the return path 18a for returning the electrical and electronic component scrap S from the first transport unit 13A to the drum feeder 11, and a portion of the electrical and electronic component scrap S is also returned to the drum feeder 11. The return path 18a is composed of, for example, a vibrating feeder or a conveyor, and is configured to directly return the electrical and electronic component scrap S into the rotating drum 111. The raw material consisting of electrical and electronic component scrap S to be sorted can be supplied to the drum feeder 11 via the return path 18a.

[0026] The vibrating feeder 12 is a transfer device for transferring electrical and electronic component scrap S supplied from the drum feeder 11 to the first transfer surface 131 one by one at a desired distance from each other by applying vibration to the electrical and electronic component scrap S. The vibrating feeder 12 is made of stainless steel or the like and, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a first trough 12a that holds the electrical and electronic component scrap S and transfers the electrical and electronic component scrap S at a first supply speed v1 while applying vibration to the electrical and electronic component scrap S, a second trough 12b connected to the first trough 12a that holds the electrical and electronic component scrap S and transfers the electrical and electronic component scrap S at a second supply speed v2 that is faster than the first supply speed v1 while applying vibration to the electrical and electronic component scrap S, and a vibration adjustment unit 123 that can adjust the amplitude or frequency of the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b.

[0027] Since the second supply speed v2 of the second trough 12b is faster than the first supply speed v1, the spacing between electrical and electronic component scraps S widens as they are transferred from the first trough 12a into the second trough 12b. This allows for the creation of desired spacing between electrical and electronic component scraps S. In the example shown in Figure 1, two troughs, the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b, are used to transfer electrical and electronic component scraps S. However, it is of course possible to arrange more than two troughs depending on the purpose.

[0028] The amplitude of the vibrating feeder 12 is related to the resonant frequency of the electrical and electronic component waste S, and the vibration frequency is related to the supply speed of the electrical and electronic component waste S. The vibration adjustment unit 123 adjusts the first supply speed v1 and the second supply speed v2 of the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b to a range suitable for transporting the electrical and electronic component waste S by adjusting at least one of the amplitude or vibration frequency of the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b.

[0029] The first supply speed v1 and the second supply speed v2 are not limited to any particular conditions. For example, the first supply speed v1 and the second supply speed v2 can be adjusted so that the spacing between the electrical and electronic component scraps S that are ultimately transported to the first transport surface 131 is approximately 150 to 500 mm, by adjusting the stroke [V] of the actuators that apply vibration to the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b, respectively, while an operator visually confirms the behavior of the transported electrical and electronic component scraps S.

[0030] The first trough 12a and the second trough 12b constituting the vibrating feeder 12 preferably have a first surface 121 having a first length L1 that is greater than the maximum dimension of electrical and electronic component scrap S, and a second surface 122 that intersects the first surface 121 at approximately a right angle at the end of the first surface 121 and has a second length L2 that is shorter than the first length L1. The first trough 12a and the second trough 12b have an L-shape due to the first surface 121 and the second surface 122.

[0031] In the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b, the first length L1 of the first surface 121 is greater than the maximum dimension of the electrical and electronic component waste S. Therefore, even when the electrical and electronic component waste S is subjected to vibration, it can be transported while being held more stably on the first surface 121. Furthermore, since the second length L2 of the second surface 122 is shorter than the first length L1, if the electrical and electronic component waste S overlaps with each other, the overlapping electrical and electronic component waste S can be prevented from overlapping by vibrating and falling from the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b. As a result, the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b can transport the electrical and electronic component waste S with a desired distance between them.

[0032] The first length L1 and the second length L2 are not particularly limited, but the first length L1 is preferably 50 to 100 mm, more preferably 60 to 80 mm. The second length L2 is preferably 10 to 30 mm, more preferably 10 to 20 mm.

[0033] The first trough 12a and the second trough 12b preferably have a predetermined inclination angle θ2 such that the first surface 121 is inclined at 30 to 65° with respect to the horizontal plane. If the inclination angle θ2 of the first surface 121 with respect to the horizontal plane is less than 30°, the electrical and electronic component scrap S cannot be efficiently vibrated on the first surface 121, and overlaps between electrical and electronic component scrap S may not be properly resolved even by applying vibration. If the inclination angle θ3 of the first surface 121 with respect to the horizontal plane is greater than 65°, the electrical and electronic component scrap S cannot be stably held in the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b, and the electrical and electronic component scrap S may fall from the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b when vibration is applied to the first trough 12a and the second trough 12b. The inclination angle θ3 is more preferably 45 to 60°, and even more preferably 50 to 60°.

[0034] The first transport section 13A is comprised of a belt conveyor or the like, which includes a first transport surface 131 for transporting electrical and electronic component scrap S supplied from the vibrating feeder 12 in the first direction FD, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the transport speed of the first transport surface 131. The first transport surface 131 has a transport width (left-right direction on the paper) sufficient to transport multiple electrical and electronic component scraps S in the first direction FD. Preferably, the first transport section 13A is comprised of a small conveyor device or the like, typically with a length of less than 1 m in the first direction FD.

[0035] The second transport section 13B is connected downstream of the first transport section 13A and consists of a belt conveyor or the like equipped with a second transport surface 132 for transporting electrical and electronic component scrap S supplied from the first transport section 13A in the second direction SD, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the transport speed of the second transport surface 132. The second transport section 13B receives electrical and electronic component scrap S from the first transport surface 131 of the first transport section 13A to the second transport surface 132. The second direction SD is typically perpendicular to the first direction FD. The second transport surface 132 has a transport width (left-right direction on the paper) sufficient to transport multiple electrical and electronic component scraps S to the second direction SD. Typically, the second transport section 13B is preferably composed of a small conveyor device or the like with a length of less than 1 m in the second direction SD, similar to the first transport section 13A.

[0036] The first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16 can be, for example, a photosensor, a photoelectric sensor, a laser sensor, etc. In particular, it is preferable that the first sensor 14 is a photoelectric sensor that irradiates detection light toward the first transport surface 131 so as to cross the first direction FD of the first transport surface 131, and detects the dimension of the first direction FD of the electrical and electronic component scrap S passing through the first transport surface 131 and the first spacing I1 between adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S by detecting the change in detection light when the electrical and electronic component scrap S crosses the detection light.

[0037] Similarly, it is preferable that the second sensor 16 is a photoelectric sensor that irradiates detection light toward the second transport surface 132 so as to cross the second direction SD of the second transport surface 132, and detects the dimension of the second direction SD of the electrical and electronic component scrap S passing through the second transport surface 132 and the second spacing I2 between adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S by detecting the change in detection light when the electrical and electronic component scrap S crosses the detection light.

[0038] By using photoelectric sensors as the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, the dimensions of electrical and electronic component scrap S passing through the first transport section 13A and the second transport section 13B, and the spacing between electrical and electronic component scrap S can be detected with greater accuracy. The specific configuration of the photoelectric sensor is not particularly limited. For example, as the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, a light emitter that emits detection light may be placed on one side of the first transport surface 131 and the second transport surface 132, and a light receiving unit that receives the detection light from the light emitter may be placed on the other side, and a through-type photoelectric sensor may be used to obtain an output signal by detecting the change in the detection light detected by the light receiving unit. Alternatively, as the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, a retroreflective type photoelectric sensor may be used, in which a light emitter is placed on one side of the first transport surface 131 and the second transport surface 132, a reflector is placed on the other side, and the detection light reflected from the reflector is received by a light receiver.

[0039] Figure 4 shows an example of the change in the output signal (voltage data) of the first sensor 14 when detecting electrical and electronic component scrap S passing through the first transport surface 131 using the first sensor 14. As shown in Figure 4, the concave peak curves p1, p2, and p3, where the output voltage drops sharply, represent the passage of electrical and electronic component scrap S. The width w1 of peak curve p1 can be calculated as the dimension of the first direction FD of the electrical and electronic component scrap S. The height H1 of peak curve p1 can be calculated as the height of the electrical and electronic component scrap S. In addition, the distance between the centers of the peak curves of adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S can be calculated as the first interval I1 of the first direction FD between adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S. The second sensor 16 can have the same configuration as the first sensor 14.

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, which detect electrical and electronic component scrap S passing through the first transport surface 131 and the second transport surface 132, can easily detect the first gap I1 in the first direction FD and the second gap I2 in the second direction SD between adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S, as well as the dimensions of the electrical and electronic component scrap S in the first direction FD and the dimensions of the electrical and electronic component scrap S in the second direction SD. This facilitates the removal process of the electrical and electronic component scrap S by the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17, which will be described later.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the first interval in the first direction FD between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps S may, of course, be evaluated based on the shortest distance I1' between the ends of adjacent peak curves p1 and p2. Furthermore, the second sensor 16 has substantially the same configuration as the first sensor 14, and, like the first sensor 14, can easily detect the second interval I2 in the second direction SD between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps S and the dimensions of the electrical and electronic component scraps S in the second direction.

[0042] Preferably, the first rejector 15 in Figure 1 is equipped with an air rejector capable of ejecting gas toward the electrical and electronic component waste S and removing the electrical and electronic component waste S from the first transport surface 131. Preferably, the second rejector 17 is equipped with an air rejector capable of ejecting gas toward the electrical and electronic component waste S and removing the electrical and electronic component waste S from the second transport surface 132.

[0043] Preferably, the electrical and electronic component waste S removed by the first rejector 15 or the second rejector 17 is returned to the drum feeder 11 via return paths 18a and 18b for return to the drum feeder 11.

[0044] The first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 are equipped with air nozzles for injecting compressed air into electrical and electronic component scrap S. Preferably, the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 further include an injection time control unit 19 that controls the injection time of the gas injected from the air rejector according to the dimensions of the electrical and electronic component scrap S to be removed.

[0045] As described above, the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16 can measure the dimensions of electrical and electronic component scrap S in the first direction FD and the second direction SD. Therefore, based on the measurement results of the dimensions of electrical and electronic component scrap S by the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, the injection time control unit 19 controls the injection time so that, for example, if the dimensions of electrical and electronic component scrap S are large, the injection time of the gas injected from the air nozzle of the air rejector is longer than usual, and if the dimensions of electrical and electronic component scrap S are small, the injection time of the gas injected from the air nozzle of the air rejector is shorter than usual. This makes it possible to remove electrical and electronic component scrap S more reliably, regardless of the size of the electrical and electronic component scrap S.

[0046] The injection time control unit 19 may set a lower limit for the gas injection time and control the injection time based on this lower limit. This makes it easier to remove even small electrical and electronic component scraps S by injecting gas for a certain period of time or longer.

[0047] If the distance between the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16 and the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 is too close, the removal process of electrical and electronic component debris S by the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 may not be completed in time. Although not limited to the following, it is preferable that the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 be positioned at a distance of 200 mm or more, more preferably 300 mm or more, and even more preferably 400 mm or more, downstream of the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16 in the first direction FD or the second direction SD.

[0048] By positioning the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 at a predetermined distance, for example 200 mm or more, from the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, the electrical and electronic component waste S to be removed can be more reliably removed by the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17 even when the transport speed of the first transport unit 13A and the second transport unit 13B is increased. In this embodiment, although not limited to the following, the transport speed of the first transport unit 13A and the second transport unit 13B can be set to 200 mm / s or more, more preferably 250 mm / s or more, and even more preferably 300 mm / s or more, so that the desired spacing can be formed more efficiently in a shorter time among a large amount of electrical and electronic component waste.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrical and electronic component waste material supply device 1 includes a first transport unit 13A that transports electrical and electronic component waste S in a first direction FD, and a second transport unit 13B that transports electrical and electronic component waste S in a second direction SD that is different from the first direction FD. In this way, the electrical and electronic component waste S is transported in multiple directions by the first transport unit 13A and the second transport unit 13B, and during this transport, the spacing between electrical and electronic component waste S adjacent to each other in each direction FD and SD is detected by the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16, and if the spacing is too close, at least one of the adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S is removed. As a result, the spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S can be increased in at least two directions.

[0050] Specifically, the first sensor 14 is positioned such that the direction of the light emitted from the first sensor 14 is perpendicular to the transport direction (first direction FD) of the first transport surface 131. The second sensor 16 is positioned such that the direction of the light emitted from the second sensor 16 is perpendicular to the transport direction (second direction SD) of the second transport surface 132.

[0051] In the arrangement of the first transport surface 131 and the first sensor 14 shown in Figure 1, the first sensor 14 can detect the spacing of electrical and electronic component scraps S in the transport direction (first direction FD) of the first transport surface 131. However, electrical and electronic component scraps S arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first direction FD (second direction SD) are recognized as a single object by the first sensor 14. Therefore, the first transport unit 13A cannot increase the spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps S in the direction perpendicular to the first direction FD (second direction SD).

[0052] In contrast, according to the material supply device 1 for electrical and electronic component scrap S according to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrical and electronic component scrap S transported on the first transport surface 131 is transferred to the second transport surface 132 which transports in the second direction SD. Therefore, the electrical and electronic component scrap S that are aligned in the second direction SD on the first transport surface 131 can be transported on the second transport surface 132 while being aligned in the transport direction of the second transport surface 132 (second direction SD), so that the spacing between them can be detected by the second sensor 16.

[0053] Thus, the electrical and electronic component waste S material supply device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention can detect the spacing between electrical and electronic component waste S in two directions, thereby increasing the spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S regardless of the position of the electrical and electronic component waste S supplied from the vibrating feeder 12 onto the first transport surface 131.

[0054] In the example in Figure 1, the second direction SD is set perpendicular to the first direction FD, but it is of course not limited to the example in Figure 1. For example, the angle that the second direction SD makes with the first direction FD may be around 45° to 135°, or it may be inclined at around 60° to 100°.

[0055] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 1, the first sensor 14 is positioned such that the direction of irradiation of the detection light from the first sensor 14 is perpendicular to the transport direction of the first transport surface 131. However, the angle between the direction of irradiation of the detection light from the first sensor 14 and the transport direction of the first transport surface 131 is not limited to the example shown in Figure 1. For example, the angle between the direction of irradiation of the detection light from the first sensor 14 and the transport direction of the first transport surface 131 does not have to be a right angle, as long as the first sensor 14 can detect the spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps S. However, if the direction of irradiation of the detection light from the first sensor 14 is not perpendicular to the transport direction of the first transport surface 131, the position of the first direction FD of the electrical and electronic component scrap S detected by the first sensor 14 will differ depending on the position of the second direction SD of the electrical and electronic component scrap S. In this case, it is necessary to set a longer gas injection time for the first rejector 15 to cover the different positions of the first direction FD. However, if the gas injection time for the first rejector 15 is set longer, there is a risk of mistakenly removing electrical and electronic component scrap S that are not intended for removal. Therefore, it is preferable that the angle between the irradiation direction of the detection light from the first sensor 14 and the transport direction of the first transport surface 131 be as close to a right angle as possible. The same applies to the angle between the irradiation direction of the detection light from the second sensor 16 and the transport direction of the second transport surface 132.

[0056] The first transport section 13A and the second transport section 13B can be made up of general-purpose conveyor equipment, and the first sensor 14, second sensor 16, first rejector 15, second rejector 17, etc. can also be made up of commercially available photoelectric sensors, air rejectors equipped with air nozzles, etc. Therefore, the device configuration of the material supply device 1 for electrical and electronic component scrap S according to the embodiment of the present invention is relatively simple and maintenance is easy. Accordingly, according to the present invention, a material supply device 1 for electrical and electronic component scrap S can be provided that can efficiently supply electrical and electronic component scrap S to the material sorting device 2 with a simpler configuration and at a distance from each other.

[0057] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, electrical and electronic component waste S supplied quantitatively by the drum feeder 11 can be transported to the first transport section 13A at desired intervals by the vibrating feeder 12. As shown in Figure 3, the vibrating feeder 12 has a first surface 121 having a first length L1 that is greater than the maximum dimension of the electrical and electronic component waste S, and a second surface 122 that intersects the first surface 121 at approximately a right angle at its end and has a second length L2 that is shorter than the first length L1. Therefore, the electrical and electronic component waste S can be stably held on the first surface 121, while the overlapping of the electrical and electronic component waste S can be suppressed by the second surface 122.

[0058] In this embodiment, electrical and electronic component waste S is supplied to the first conveying section 13A via a drum feeder 11 and a vibrating feeder 12. However, it is also possible, for example, for an employee to directly place the raw material into the first conveying section 13A. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a drum feeder 11 equipped with a rotating drum 111 or a vibrating feeder 12 equipped with a first trough 12a and a second trough 12b is used as an example, but this embodiment is not limited to these configurations. When electrical and electronic component waste S is supplied to the first conveying section 13A by a drum feeder 11 equipped with a rotating drum 111 or a vibrating feeder 12 equipped with a first trough 12a and a second trough 12b, the electrical and electronic component waste S can be supplied one by one to the first conveying surface 131 of the first conveying section 13A with more reliable spacing between them. As a result, it is possible to prevent false detections by the first sensor 14 and the second sensor 16 due to multiple electrical and electronic component scraps S overlapping, and to prevent the accidental removal of unintended electrical and electronic component scraps S when removing them with the first rejector 15 and the second rejector 17.

[0059] As shown in Figure 1, the electrical and electronic component scrap S that has passed through the second transport section 13B is supplied to the material sorting device 2. Various sorting devices for mechanically sorting the electrical and electronic component scrap S can be used as the material sorting device 2. In particular, the material supply device 1 for electrical and electronic component scrap S according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably includes at least one of the following: a metal sorting device, a color sorting device, an image recognition device, an X-ray sorting device, or a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) sorting device, which improves detection accuracy by increasing the distance between adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S.

[0060] For example, a metal sorting device is equipped with a metal sensor that detects metallic objects from electrical and electronic component scrap S using electromagnetic waves or the like. Typically, this metal sensor is often configured to have a predetermined detection range in the width direction and the transport direction of the conveyor that transports the electrical and electronic component scrap S. In such a metal sorting device, if the distance between electrical and electronic component scrap S is too close and two or more metallic objects are within the detection range, these two or more metallic objects may be recognized as a single metallic object. As a result, even if a non-metallic object is actually present between two metallic objects, the non-metallic object sandwiched between the metallic objects may not be detected by the metal sensor. According to the material supply device 1 for electrical and electronic component scrap S according to an embodiment of the present invention, the distance between electrical and electronic component scrap S supplied to the metal sorting device can be freely adjusted according to the length of the detection range in the transport direction and the width direction of the metal sorting device. Therefore, false detections by the metal sorting device caused by the size of the detection range and the distance between electrical and electronic component scrap S can be suppressed, thereby improving the sorting accuracy of electrical and electronic component scrap S.

[0061] Furthermore, color sorting devices or image sorting devices are known as devices that detect electrical and electronic component scraps S and analyze the color, image, etc., of each detected electrical and electronic component scrap S. The detection range for detecting these electrical and electronic component scraps S is often set to have a predetermined detection width in two directions: the width direction and the transport direction of the conveyor belt used to transport the electrical and electronic component scraps S. In such color sorting or image sorting devices, if the distance between electrical and electronic component scraps S is too close, even if image identification is possible, a large amount of electrical and electronic component scrap S will be present in the detection range, which increases the amount of color and image information that the device must process. In order to perform color or image identification processing quickly and accurately even when the amount of color and image information to be processed increases, it is necessary to either increase the information processing capacity of the device or ensure a longer processing time. However, the former leads to increased costs, and the latter leads to a decrease in the transport speed of the belt conveyor and the processing capacity of the sorting device.

[0062] According to the material supply device 1 for electrical and electronic component waste S according to an embodiment of the present invention, the spacing of electrical and electronic component waste S supplied to the device can be adjusted according to the detection width in each of the two directions of the detection range of the color sorter or image sorter, thereby reducing the number of electrical and electronic component waste S that enter the detection range. As a result, the amount of color and image information within the detection range that the device must process is reduced, thereby reducing the information processing load. Similarly, with the X-ray sorter and LIBS sorter, the spacing of electrical and electronic component waste S supplied to the detection range can be adjusted according to the size of the detection range set in the width direction and the transport direction of the conveyor that transports the electrical and electronic component waste S, thereby improving the detection accuracy of electrical and electronic component waste S.

[0063] In the material sorting device 2 described above, where detection accuracy is further improved by increasing the distance between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps S, the reason why it is necessary to optimize the distance between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps S is that if the sorting processing speed of the material sorting device 2 is not considered when setting the distance between electrical and electronic component scraps S, the sorting processing efficiency of the material sorting device 2 may not improve significantly. Furthermore, in the case of material sorting devices 2 that require identification processing before sorting, such as color sorting devices and image sorting devices, even if identification processing can be performed appropriately with the electrical and electronic component scraps S separated by a certain distance, if the sorting processing speed after identification processing is not further considered, the sorting processing efficiency of the material sorting device 2 may not improve significantly. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the spacing between electrical and electronic component scraps S is determined so that the distance between electrical and electronic component scraps S supplied to the material sorting device 2 is optimized by considering the sorting processing speed of each material sorting device 2 and the information processing speed such as color identification processing and image identification processing. In other words, in the method for processing electrical and electronic component waste S according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the set value of the first interval I1 in the first direction FD of adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S on the first transport surface 131 and the set value of the second interval I2 in the second direction SD of adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S on the second transport surface 132 are determined based on the identification processing speed of the electrical and electronic component waste S by the material sorting device 2 and / or the sorting processing speed of the electrical and electronic component waste S by the material sorting device 2. By determining the set value of the first interval I1 in the first direction FD and the set value of the second interval I2 in the second direction SD based on the identification processing speed of the electrical and electronic component waste S by the material sorting device 2, the electrical and electronic component waste S can be supplied to the material sorting device 2 with the spacing between the electrical and electronic component waste S already increased by the distance the electrical and electronic component waste S will travel in the time required for sorting and identification processing by the material sorting device 2, thereby improving the sorting processing efficiency of the electrical and electronic component waste S.

[0064] (Method for disposing of electrical and electronic component scrap S) The method for processing electrical and electronic component waste S according to an embodiment of the present invention can be carried out using the material supply device 1 shown in Figure 1. Specifically, electrical and electronic component waste S is supplied to a first transport unit 13A equipped with a first transport surface 131 that transports it in a first direction FD. The first sensor 14 then detects the first interval I1 in the first direction FD of adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S on the first transport surface 131, and when the detection result of the first interval I1 by the first sensor 14 is less than or equal to a set value, one of the adjacent electrical and electronic component waste S in the first direction is removed from the first transport surface 131. After that, the electrical and electronic component waste S supplied from the first transport unit 13A is transported to a second transport unit 13B equipped with a second transport surface 132 that transports it in a second direction SD that intersects the first direction FD perpendicularly or diagonally. Then, the second sensor 16 detects the second spacing I2 in the second direction SD of adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S on the second transport surface 132, and when the detection result of the second spacing I2 by the second sensor 16 is less than or equal to a set value, one of the electrical and electronic component scrap S adjacent in the second direction SD is removed from the second transport surface 132. Furthermore, the electrical and electronic component scrap S is supplied from the second transport section 13B to the electrical and electronic component scrap S material sorting device 2.

[0065] In the method for processing electrical and electronic component waste S according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable to supply the electrical and electronic component waste S to a drum feeder 11, to supply a fixed amount of the electrical and electronic component waste S contained in the drum feeder 11 to a vibrating feeder 12, and to use the vibrating feeder 12 to vibrate the electrical and electronic component waste S so that they are spaced apart from each other. It is also preferable to separate the electrical and electronic component waste S with eddy current before supplying it to the drum feeder 11. By pre-separating the electrical and electronic component waste S with eddy current, for example, iron scraps can be removed from the electrical and electronic component waste S in advance, thereby increasing the efficiency of aluminum scrap recovery when separating copper metal, aluminum scraps, substrate scraps, etc. from the electrical and electronic component waste S. It is also preferable to screen the electrical and electronic component waste S before supplying it to the drum feeder 11. By pre-screening the electrical and electronic component scrap S, the dimensions of the electrical and electronic component scrap S can be standardized, making it easier to adjust the spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component scrap S within the material supply device 1, and improving the sorting efficiency of the material sorting device 2.

[0066] Although the present invention has been described by the embodiments described above, the descriptions and drawings that constitute part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting the invention. This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and its components can be combined and modified to embody it without departing from its spirit.

[0067] (Potential contribution to the SDGs) According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a material supply device and a method for processing electrical and electronic component scrap are provided that can supply electrical and electronic component scrap to a material sorting device with a simpler configuration and more efficient spacing between components, potentially enabling the processing of a larger amount of recyclable material. For this reason, one embodiment of this disclosure may contribute to Goal 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns." [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1: Material supply device 2: Material sorting device 11: Drum feeder 12: Vibratory feeder 12a: First trough 12b: Second trough 13A: First Conveyor Unit 13B: Second Conveyor Unit 14: First Sensor 15: First Rejector 16: Second sensor 17: Second Rejector 18a: Return route 18b: Return route 19: Injection Time Control Unit 111: Rotating drum 112: Rotating blades 113: Discharge tray 115: Abutment 116: Opening 121: 1st page 122:Second side 123: Vibration adjustment section 131: First conveying surface 132: Second transport surface

Claims

1. A material supply device for electrical and electronic component scraps, which supplies multiple electrical and electronic component scraps to a material sorting device with spacing between them, A first conveying unit having a first conveying surface for conveying the electrical and electronic component scrap in a first direction, The second conveying unit has a second conveying surface that conveys the electrical and electronic component waste in a second direction perpendicular or oblique to the first direction, and receives the electrical and electronic component waste from the first conveying surface of the first conveying unit to the second conveying surface, A first sensor capable of detecting the first spacing in the first direction between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps on the first transport surface, A second sensor capable of detecting the second spacing in the second direction between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps on the second transport surface, A first rejector is positioned downstream of the first sensor in the first direction, and removes one of the electrical and electronic component scraps adjacent in the first direction from the first transport surface when the detection result of the first interval is less than or equal to a set value, A second rejector is positioned downstream of the second sensor in the second direction, and when the detection result of the second interval is less than or equal to a set value, it removes one of the electrical and electronic component scraps adjacent to the second in the second direction from the second transport surface. A material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap, equipped with the following features.

2. The electrical and electronic component scrap material supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a feeder for supplying the electrical and electronic component scrap one by one onto the first transport surface.

3. The aforementioned feeder, A drum feeder capable of supplying a fixed amount of electrical and electronic component waste, A vibrating feeder is used to vibrate the electrical and electronic component scrap supplied from the drum feeder in order to widen the spacing between the electrical and electronic component scraps supplied to the first transport surface. The material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap according to claim 2, comprising:

4. The aforementioned feeder is, A first trough holds the electrical and electronic component scrap and transports the electrical and electronic component scrap at a first supply speed while vibrating the electrical and electronic component scrap, A second trough connected to the first trough holds the electrical and electronic component waste and transports the electrical and electronic component waste at a second supply speed faster than the first supply speed while vibrating the electrical and electronic component waste, A vibration adjustment unit that adjusts the amplitude or frequency applied to the first trough and the second trough. The material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap according to claim 2, comprising:

5. The electrical and electronic component scrap material supply device according to claim 4, wherein the first trough and the second trough each comprise a first surface having a first length greater than the maximum dimension of the electrical and electronic component scrap, and a second surface having a second length shorter than the first length, intersecting the first surface at a substantially right angle at the end of the first surface, and the first surface is inclined at 30 to 65° with respect to a horizontal plane.

6. The electrical and electronic component waste material supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first rejector and the second rejector are air rejectors that remove the electrical and electronic component waste from the first transport surface or the second transport surface by ejecting gas toward the electrical and electronic component waste.

7. The electrical and electronic component scrap material supply device according to claim 6, wherein the first rejector and the second rejector are equipped with an injection time control unit that controls the injection time of the gas injected from the air rejector according to the dimensions of the electrical and electronic component scrap to be removed.

8. The electrical and electronic component waste material supply device according to claim 3, further comprising a return path for returning the electrical and electronic component waste removed by the first or second rejector back into the drum feeder.

9. The first sensor is a photoelectric sensor that irradiates detection light toward the first transport surface so as to cross the first direction of the first transport surface, and detects the change in the detection light when the electrical and electronic component waste crosses the detection light, thereby detecting the dimension of the electrical and electronic component waste in the first direction and the first spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component waste as it passes through the first transport surface. The electrical and electronic component waste material supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a photoelectric sensor that irradiates detection light toward the second transport surface so as to cross the second direction of the second transport surface, and detects the dimension of the electrical and electronic component waste in the second direction and the second spacing between adjacent electrical and electronic component waste as the electrical and electronic component waste passes across the second transport surface by detecting the change in the detection light.

10. The aforementioned feeder, A rotating drum for rotatably housing the aforementioned electrical and electronic component scraps, Multiple rotating blades are arranged circumferentially on the inner surface of the rotating drum and rotate in the circumferential direction to capture electrical and electronic component debris inside the rotating drum, A discharge tray is positioned in the center of the rotating drum and is configured to collect the electrical and electronic component waste captured by the rotating blades and to discharge the collected electrical and electronic component waste to the outside of the rotating drum. The material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap according to claim 2, comprising:

11. The material supply device for electrical and electronic component scrap according to claim 1, wherein the material sorting device includes at least one of a metal sorting device, a color sorting device, an image recognition device, an X-ray sorting device, and a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy sorting device.

12. The electrical and electronic component waste material supply device according to claim 1, wherein the set value for the first interval and the set value for the second interval are determined based on the identification processing speed of the electrical and electronic component waste by the material sorting device and / or the sorting processing speed of the electrical and electronic component waste by the material sorting device.

13. The electrical and electronic component scraps are supplied to a first transport unit which has a first transport surface that transports multiple electrical and electronic component scraps in a first direction. The first sensor detects the first spacing in the first direction between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps on the first transport surface. When the detection result of the first interval by the first sensor is less than or equal to a set value, one of the electrical and electronic component scraps adjacent in the first direction is removed from the first transport surface. The electrical and electronic component waste is transported from the first transport surface of the first transport section to the second transport surface of the second transport section, which transports it in a second direction perpendicular or diagonally to the first direction. The second sensor detects the second spacing in the second direction between adjacent electrical and electronic component scraps on the second transport surface. When the detection result of the second interval by the second sensor is less than or equal to the set value, one of the electrical and electronic component scraps adjacent in the second direction is removed from the second transport surface. The electrical and electronic component scrap is supplied from the second transport unit to the electrical and electronic component scrap material sorting device. A method for disposing of electrical and electronic component scrap, including that contained within.

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