Solar cell module frame separation device

Abstract

To improve a separation efficiency of a frame by easily separating the frame body by increasing a moment load generated in a terminal part bonded to the frame body.SOLUTION: In a frame separation device of a solar cell module, a frame body F of a solar cell module M is separated from a panel body P. In a state where the panel body P is pressed with a pressing body, and a plurality of pressing mechanisms 80 pressing each of a pair of shor-side frame signal body Fa and a pair of long-side frame single bodies Fb of the frame body F from each inner side toward an outer side. The frame separation device comprises: a pressing member 51 that presses a side end edge 23a by contacting this pressing mechanisms 80 to the side end edge 23a of a lateral transverse-mounted 23 as an inner side portion Q which is provided so as to perform an advance / retraction operation and which is positioned at a longest separation position from a boundary B between an outer surface 11 of a holding part 10 in a lateral cross section of the frame body F at the time of progressing and an outer surface 21 of a reinforcement part 20; and a driving part that performs an advance / retraction driving of this pressing member 51.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a solar cell module frame separation device that is used to separate and extract glass, useful metals, etc. from solar cell modules for recycling, and in particular to a solar cell module frame separation device that separates the frame body of a solar cell module from the panel body. [Background technology]

[0002] 15 and 16, a solar cell module M is generally constructed by surrounding a panel body P with a frame body F. The panel body P is formed in a rectangular shape having a front surface 1, a back surface 2, and an outer peripheral surface 3 consisting of a pair of parallel short sides 3a and a pair of parallel long sides 3b, and is constructed by providing a front surface plate (not shown) made of glass on the front surface 1 side with a back surface plate (not shown) on the back surface 2 side that includes a resin member or the like in which solar cell elements are embedded.

[0003] The frame body F is available in various shapes, and an example thereof is one having the following configuration: The frame body F is made of a metal such as aluminum and includes a pair of short-side frame units Fa corresponding to the pair of short sides 3a of the panel body P and a pair of long-side frame units Fb corresponding to the pair of long sides 3b of the panel body P. The short-side frame units Fa and the long-side frame units Fb are alternately arranged and adjacent ends of these are joined to form a frame. The frame body F is also configured with, for example, a holding portion 10 that fits onto the outer periphery of the panel body P to hold this outer periphery, and a reinforcing portion 20 that is integrally formed with the holding portion 10 on the back surface 2 side of the panel body P and reinforces the holding portion 10.

[0004] The retaining portion 10 is integrally formed with a U-shaped cross section and is composed of a vertical plate 12 having an outer surface 11 that covers the outer peripheral surface 3 of the panel body P, a front horizontal plate 13 that covers the front surface 1 of the outer peripheral portion of the panel body P, and a back horizontal plate 14 that covers the back surface 2 of the outer peripheral portion of the panel body P. The reinforcing portion 20 has an outer surface 21 that is continuous with the outer surface 11 of the retaining portion 10 and is composed of an upright plate 22 that is integrally erected on the retaining portion 10, and a horizontal plate 23 that is integrally connected to the upright plate 22 and parallel to the back surface 2 of the panel body P, facing the back surface 2. The upright plate 22 is formed wide to increase strength and has a hollow portion 24 hollowed out along its length to reduce weight. The width L of the horizontal plate 23 is set larger than the widths of the front horizontal plate 13 and the back horizontal plate 14.

[0005] In the frame body F, the end faces of the short-side frame unit Fa and the long-side frame unit Fb are cut at a 45° angle, and the end faces of the adjacent short-side frame unit Fa and the adjacent long-side frame unit Fb are joined together. Between the ends of the adjacent short-side frame unit Fa and the adjacent long-side frame unit Fb, there is provided a corner member C, which is, for example, an L-shaped, integrally formed rectangular plate Ca that is inserted into the hollow portion 24 of one frame unit and the hollow portion 24 of the other frame unit, and each frame unit Fa, Fb is fixed by screwing a screw (not shown) into this corner member C.

[0006] Conventionally, a known frame separation device for separating the frame body F of such a solar cell module M from the panel body P is, for example, one that, as shown in Figure 17, holds the solar cell module M and presses the inner surface 22a of the upright plate 22 of the reinforcing portion 20 from inside the frame body F with a head 200, thereby separating the frame body F from the panel body P (for example, as described in Patent Publication Nos. 5996405, 6606035, and 6647519). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5996405 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6606035 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6647519 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In this conventional frame separation device for solar cell modules, the head 200 presses against the inner surfaces 22a of the standing plates 22, which are the reinforcing parts 20 of the frame body F of the solar cell module M, from inside the frame body F to remove the frame body F from the panel body P. However, when the frame body F is reinforced with corner members C, it is difficult to separate the corner members C, which can make it difficult to reliably separate the joined ends of the frame unit. The reason for this is that, because the inner surfaces 22a of the standing plates 22, which are the reinforcing parts 20 of the frame body F, are pressed, a certain amount of moment load is generated around the outer periphery 3 of the panel body P, which acts on the joined ends of the frame unit, but because this moment load is not necessarily large, a sufficient shear force is not generated acting on the corner members C.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a frame separation device for a solar cell module that increases the moment load generated at the joined end of the frame body, making it easier to separate the frame body, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the frame body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a frame separation device for a solar cell module, which separates a frame body of a solar cell module, which is configured by surrounding a panel body with a frame body, from the panel body, and the frame body is configured to include a holding portion that fits into an outer peripheral portion of the panel body to hold the outer peripheral portion, and a reinforcing portion that has an outer surface that is continuous with the outer surface of the holding portion on the back side of the panel body and is integrally formed with the holding portion to reinforce the holding portion, a support portion for supporting the surface of the panel body; a presser body movable to two positions, a presser position for contacting the back surface of the panel body supported by the support portion and pressing the panel body against the support portion, and a spaced position for being spaced from the support portion; and a pressing mechanism for pressing the frame body from the inside toward the outside at the presser position of the presser body. The pressing mechanism is configured to include a pressing member that is movable back and forth and that, when advanced, abuts against an inner portion that is located at the farthest position from the boundary between the outer surface of the holding portion and the outer surface of the reinforcing portion in the cross section of the frame body, thereby pressing the inner portion, and a drive unit that drives the pressing member back and forth.

[0011] As a result, when separating the frame body from the solar cell module, first, the surface of the panel body of the solar cell module is supported on the support part. Next, the pressing body is moved from the separated position to the pressing position, abutting against the back surface of the panel body and pressing the panel body against the support part. Then, with the pressing body in the pressing position, the pressing mechanism presses the frame body from the inside to the outside. At this time, the pressing member is advanced by the drive unit, and the pressing member abuts against and presses the inner portion located at the farthest position from the boundary between the outer surface of the holding part and the outer surface of the reinforcing part.

[0012] The pressure of the pressing member presses the retaining portion through the reinforcing portion, causing the retaining portion to slip away from the outer periphery of the panel body, and the frame body is removed from the panel body. In this case, a moment load with the reinforcing portion as an arm acts on the retaining portion, increasing the removal force and ensuring reliable removal of the frame body. In particular, the pressing member abuts and presses the inner portion located at the furthest distance from the boundary between the outer surfaces of the retaining portion and the reinforcing portion, resulting in a stronger torsional force than when pressing the middle of the reinforcing portion as in the conventional method. Therefore, even if the frame body has plate-shaped corner members at its corners, a large shear force can be applied to the corner members to separate them, improving the separation efficiency of the frame body. The separated frame bodies can be collected and recycled as useful metals.

[0013] More specifically, the present invention provides a frame separation device for a solar cell module, which separates a frame body of a solar cell module, which is configured by surrounding a panel body with a frame body, from the panel body, and The panel body is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate having a pair of parallel short sides and a pair of parallel long sides, and the frame body is composed of a pair of short side frame units corresponding to the pair of short sides of the panel body and a pair of long side frame units corresponding to the pair of long sides of the panel body, and is formed into a frame shape by alternately arranging the short side frame units and the long side frame units and joining adjacent ends thereof, and is configured with a holding portion that fits into the outer periphery of the panel body to hold the outer periphery, and a reinforcing portion that is formed integrally with the holding portion on the back side of the panel body and reinforces the holding portion, the reinforcing portion is configured to include a standing plate having an outer surface continuous with the outer surface of the holding portion and erected integrally with the holding portion, and a horizontal plate that is connected integrally to the standing plate, is parallel to the back surface of the panel body, and faces the back surface, A support portion is provided to support the surface of the panel body, and a pressing body is provided that is movable to two positions: a pressing position where the panel body is pressed against the back surface of the panel body supported by the support portion and pressed against the support portion, and a spaced position where the pressing body is spaced from the support portion, and a plurality of pressing mechanisms are provided on the pressing body to press the pair of short side frame units and the pair of long side frame units from the inside to the outside at the pressing position of the pressing body, The pressing mechanism is configured to include a pressing member that is movable back and forth and has an abutment surface that abuts against the side edge of the horizontal plate, which is the inner part that is located at the farthest position from the boundary between the outer surface of the holding part and the outer surface of the reinforcing part in the cross section of the frame body when advanced, and presses the side edge, and a drive unit that drives the pressing member back and forth.

[0014] As a result, when separating the frame body from the solar cell module, first the front surface of the panel body of the solar cell module is supported on the support part. Next, the pressing body is moved from the separated position to the pressing position and abuts against the back surface of the panel body, pressing the panel body against the support part. Then, with the pressing body in the pressing position, the pressing mechanism presses the frame body from the inside to the outside. At this time, the pressing member is advanced by the drive unit, and the pressing member abuts against and presses against the side edge of the horizontal plate of the reinforcing part.

[0015] The pressure of the pressing member presses the holding portion through the reinforcing portion, causing the holding portion to slip away from the outer periphery of the panel body, and the frame body is removed from the panel body. In this case, a moment load acts on the holding portion, with the horizontal and vertical plates of the reinforcing portion as arms, increasing the removal force and ensuring reliable removal of the frame body. In particular, the pressing member abuts and presses the side edge of the horizontal plate, which is the inner portion located at the farthest position from the boundary between the outer surfaces of the holding portion and the reinforcing portion. This results in a stronger torsional force than when pressing the middle of the reinforcing portion as in the conventional method. Therefore, even if the frame body has a plate-shaped corner member at its corner, it can be severed by applying a large shear force to the corner member, improving the separation efficiency of the frame body.

[0016] The device is further configured to include a control unit that, as necessary, first activates the drive unit of the pressing mechanism that presses the short-side frame unit, and when the pressing member associated with the drive unit that was activated first reaches the forward end, activates the drive unit of the pressing mechanism that presses the long-side frame unit. This causes the drive unit of the pressing mechanism that presses the short-side frame unit to operate first, so the short-side frame unit separates first from the long-side frame unit. In this case, the torsional force generated at the corners is more likely to be generated by pressing the short-side frame unit than by pressing the long-side frame unit, ensuring reliable separation of the corners.

[0017] If necessary, the pressing members may be plate members extending in a direction perpendicular to the side edges of the horizontal plate and having front end faces as abutment surfaces that abut against the side edges, and a plurality of the pressing members may be arranged in a row at required intervals along the longitudinal direction of the frame unit, with each pressing member held by a holder. As a result, the pressing members press the side edges of the horizontal plate of the reinforcing part by abutting their front end faces against the side edges, so that the pressing force is concentrated, and since there are a plurality of pressing members at required intervals, the horizontal plate is pressed against the horizontal plate at multiple points, which makes it possible to remove the frame body more reliably.

[0018] Furthermore, if necessary, the holder may be configured with a support plate extending along the longitudinal direction of the frame unit and to which the rear end face of the pressing member is fixed. When the pressing member is pressed, the support plate causes the pressing member to advance forward from its rear end face, thereby ensuring more reliable force transmission and enabling separation of the frame bodies.

[0019] In this case, it is effective to configure the holder with a base plate that is continuous with the lower edge of the support plate and to which the lower end surface of the pressing member is fixed, thereby ensuring support of the pressing member and allowing the pressing member to abut against the side edge of the horizontal plate of the reinforcing part and press stably.

[0020] Furthermore, if necessary, the drive unit may be configured as a hydraulic cylinder device in which a piston is provided in a cylinder so as to be able to move back and forth, the pressing member may be attached to the piston of the hydraulic cylinder device, and an advancement position adjustment mechanism may be provided which changes the advancement position of the contact surface of the pressing member at the advancement end of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder device.

[0021] Generally, the size of a solar cell module varies depending on the manufacturer, as there are no specific standards for it, and there are a variety of sizes ranging from 800mm to 1000mm in length and 1200mm to 1700mm in width. In this device, a hydraulic cylinder device with a corresponding piston stroke can be selected to fit these various dimensional ranges and incorporated into the device, but if there are frequent changes in the size of the solar cell modules, several types of hydraulic cylinder devices must be prepared and the replacement work becomes extremely complicated.However, with this configuration, the advancement position adjustment mechanism makes it possible to vary the advancement position of the contact surface of the pressing member at the advancement end of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder device, so if a hydraulic cylinder device that can be used with a small-sized solar cell module is selected and incorporated, it can then be made to fit solar cell modules of different sizes by adjusting the advancement position adjustment mechanism without changing the hydraulic cylinder device, thereby reducing the number of parts and improving operability and versatility.

[0022] In this case, a mounting member is provided for mounting the pressing member to the piston, the mounting member is configured to include a front member attached to the tip of the piston, a main member connected to the front member and extending to the rear side in the axial direction of the piston, and a rear member connected to the rear end side of the main member, the front end of which is located rearward of the tip of the piston and which forms a mounting surface for mounting the pressing member, It is effective to configure the advance position adjustment mechanism so as to include a spacer that is detachably interposed between the mounting surface of the rear member of the mounting member and the pressing member. This allows the contact position of the contact surface of the pressing member to be changed simply by replacing the spacer, improving operability. In this case, if multiple spacers with different dimensions are prepared, it becomes easier to accommodate solar cell modules of different sizes.

[0023] Furthermore, if necessary, a plurality of pressing mechanisms corresponding to at least one of the pair of short-side frame units and the pair of long-side frame units may be provided at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the corresponding frame unit, and the longitudinal position of the pressing mechanism on the outer side of the frame unit may be adjusted. This allows the width of the entire plurality of pressing mechanisms to be adjusted, making it possible to accommodate solar cell modules of different sizes and improving versatility.

[0024] Furthermore, if necessary, a supply section is provided at one end of the support section for transporting and supplying the solar cell module to the support section with the short side of the panel body of the solar cell module facing forward, and the support section is configured to include a plurality of support units each having a support surface extending along the transport direction of the solar cell module transported from the supply section and arranged at least three times at intervals of a predetermined width in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction to support the surface of the panel body of the solar cell module, The structure is provided with a chain conveyor mechanism having a plurality of chains that can move to two positions: a transport position where the chains protrude from each space above the support surface of the support unit and can support and transport the solar cell module, and a recessed position where the chains retract into each space from the support surface and support the solar cell module on the support unit.

[0025] With this configuration, when a solar cell module is supplied from the supply unit, the chain of the chain conveyor mechanism is set to the transport position, and the supplied solar cell module is received and supported by the chain for transport. During this transport process, once the solar cell module is positioned in the predetermined position, the chain is moved to the retracted position. As a result, the solar cell module supported by the chain descends along with the chain, and during this descending process, the panel body is supported by the multiple support units. Therefore, the solar cell module can be easily positioned for transport and supported by the support units.

[0026] Next, in this state, as described above, the presser body is moved from the separation position to the presser position, pressing the panel body against the support portion. Then, the pressing mechanism presses the frame body from the inside outward to separate the frame body. Once the frame body has been separated, the presser body is moved to the separation position, and the chain of the chain conveyor mechanism is moved back to the transport position. This causes the chain to rise, and during this process, the panel body is supported by the chain and lifted from the support unit. The chain conveyor mechanism is then operated to transport and discharge the panel body.

[0027] Furthermore, if necessary, a shutter may be provided between the supply unit and the support unit to open the transport path for the solar cell module when it is transported from the supply unit and close the transport path when the frame body is pressed by the pressing mechanism. As a result, when the short-side frame unit on the supply unit side is pressed and separated, even if the separated short-side frame unit tries to jump out toward the supply unit, it will hit the shutter and fall, preventing a situation that would adversely affect the supply unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] According to the present invention, when separating the frame body, the pressure of the pressing member presses the holding portion via the reinforcement portion, causing the holding portion to slip away from the outer periphery of the panel body, and the frame body is removed from the panel body. In this case, a moment load with the reinforcement portion as an arm acts on the holding portion, increasing the removal force and ensuring reliable removal of the frame body. In particular, the pressing member abuts and presses the inner portion located at the furthest distance from the boundary between the outer surfaces of the holding portion and the reinforcement portion, resulting in a stronger torsional force than when pressing the middle of the reinforcement portion as in the conventional method. Therefore, even if the frame body has a plate-shaped corner member at its corner, it can be separated by applying a large shear force to the corner member, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the frame body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram showing a recycling system equipped with a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view showing a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view showing a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B show a chain conveyor mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows the state at the transport position, and FIG. 1B shows the state at the retracted position. [Figure 5] 1 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a pressing body and a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are plan views showing the operation of a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view showing the state when the pressing member is retreating, and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing the state when the pressing member is advancing. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are side cross-sectional views showing the operation of the pressing member of the pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a side cross-sectional view showing the state in which the pressing member abuts against a reinforcing portion of the frame body, and (b) is a side cross-sectional view showing the state in which the pressing member has separated the frame body. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are plan cross-sectional views showing the operation of the pressing member of the pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan cross-sectional view showing the state in which the pressing member abuts against a reinforcing portion of the frame body, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view showing the state in which the pressing member has separated the frame body. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a pressing body and a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a plan view showing a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing a main part of a pressing body and a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14] 3 is an enlarged side view showing a main part of a pressing body and a pressing mechanism in a frame separation device for a solar cell module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of a solar cell module. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the structure of a corner portion of a frame body in an example of a solar cell module. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state when a frame body is being separated in a conventional solar cell module frame separation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A solar cell module frame separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a frame separation device K for a solar cell module according to the embodiment is used in a recycling system S for a solar cell module M configured by surrounding a panel body P with a frame body F.

[0031] The solar cell module M handled by this recycling system S is configured, for example, as follows: As described above in detail, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the solar cell module M is configured by surrounding a panel body P with a frame body F. The panel body P is formed in a rectangular shape having a front surface 1, a back surface 2, and an outer peripheral surface 3 consisting of a pair of parallel short sides 3a and a pair of parallel long sides 3b, and is configured by providing a front surface plate (not shown) made of glass on the front surface 1 side with a back surface plate (not shown) on the back surface 2 side that includes a resin member or the like in which solar cell elements are embedded.

[0032] The frame body F is made of a metal such as aluminum and comprises a pair of short-side frame units Fa corresponding to the pair of short sides 3a of the panel body P and a pair of long-side frame units Fb corresponding to the pair of long sides 3b of the panel body P, and is formed into a frame shape by alternately arranging the short-side frame units Fa and the long-side frame units Fb and joining their adjacent ends together. The frame body F also comprises a holding portion 10 that fits into the outer periphery of the panel body P to hold this outer periphery, and a reinforcing portion 20 that is integrally formed with the holding portion 10 on the back surface 2 side of the panel body P and reinforces the holding portion 10.

[0033] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the retaining portion 10 is integrally formed with a U-shaped cross section and comprises a vertical plate 12 having an outer surface 11 that covers the outer peripheral surface 3 of the panel body P, a front horizontal plate 13 that covers the front surface 1 of the outer peripheral portion of the panel body P, and a back horizontal plate 14 that covers the back surface 2 of the outer peripheral portion of the panel body P. The reinforcing portion 20 has an outer surface 21 that is continuous with the outer surface 11 of the retaining portion 10 and is composed of an upright plate 22 that is integrally erected on the retaining portion 10, and a horizontal plate 23 that is integrally connected to the upright plate 22 and parallel to the back surface 2 of the panel body P, facing the back surface 2. The upright plate 22 is formed wide to increase strength and has a hollow portion 24 hollowed out along its length to reduce weight. The width L of the horizontal plate 23 is set larger than the widths of the front horizontal plate 13 and the back horizontal plate 14.

[0034] In the frame body F, the end faces of the short-side frame unit Fa and the long-side frame unit Fb are cut at a 45° angle, and the end faces of the adjacent short-side frame unit Fa and the adjacent long-side frame unit Fb are joined together. Between the ends of the adjacent short-side frame unit Fa and the adjacent long-side frame unit Fb, there is provided a corner member C, which is an L-shaped, integrally formed rectangular plate Ca that is inserted into the hollow portion 24 of one frame unit and the hollow portion 24 of the other frame unit, and each frame unit Fa, Fb is fixed by screwing a screw (not shown) into this corner member C.

[0035] In this recycling system S, the frame separation device K for a solar cell module M according to the embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, separates the frame body F of the solar cell module M that has been transported and supplied from the panel body P, and transports and discharges the panel body P from which the frame body F has been separated. On the upstream side of this frame separation device K, there is provided a supply section Sa that supplies the solar cell module M to the frame separation device K, and on the downstream side of the frame separation device K, there is provided a sorting section Sb that separates glass and other materials including useful metals from the discharged panel body P.

[0036] The supply unit Sa transports the loaded and stacked solar cell modules M one by one, for example, on a belt conveyor, to the frame separation device K. Meanwhile, the sorting unit Sb includes a crushing and separating device Sb1 that crushes the glass of the panel body P discharged from the frame separation device K, separates the glass fragments, and discharges the remainder, a peeling machine Sb2 that further peels the glass fragments from the discharged remainder, and a cutter Sb3 that finely cuts the remainder peeled by the peeling machine Sb2. Details of the sorting unit Sb are described, for example, in JP 2020-131165 A, filed by the applicant of the present application, and a description thereof will be omitted.

[0037] 1 to 8, a frame separation device K for a solar cell module M according to an embodiment includes a base 31, and the base 31 includes a support portion 30 that supports a front surface 1 of a panel body P, and a pressing body 32 that is movable to two positions: a pressing position X that contacts a back surface 2 of the panel body P supported by the support portion 30 and presses the panel body P against the support portion 30, and a separated position Y that is separated from the support portion 30. The pressing body 32 is configured by stacking rectangular box-shaped cases 32a and 32b, each with a flat lower surface, in two stages.

[0038] The presser body 32 is moved to two positions, a presser position X and a separated position Y, by a hydraulic cylinder device 34 serving as a moving unit 33. An upper plate 35 supported by the base 31 is provided above the presser body 32, and the hydraulic cylinder device 34 has a piston 34a connected to the center of a case 32a above the presser body 32, and a cylinder 34b provided on the upper plate 35. Four guide units 36 that guide the movement of the presser body 32 are provided around the hydraulic cylinder device 34. The guide units 36 each include a guide shaft 36a erected on the case 32a and a guide bearing 36b provided on the upper plate 35 for slidably guiding the guide shaft 36a.

[0039] The above-mentioned supply unit Sa is provided at one end of the support unit 30, which transports and supplies the solar cell module M to the support unit 30 with the short side 3a of its panel body P facing forward, and the support unit 30 has a support surface 37 extending along the transport direction of the solar cell module M transported from the supply unit Sa, and is configured with a plurality of (four in this embodiment) support elements 38 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, separated by a space e of a predetermined width, and supporting the surface 1 of the panel body P of the solar cell module M. Each support element 38 is attached to the base 31 via a leg 39.

[0040] 2 to 4, the support unit 30 is provided with a chain conveyor mechanism 40. The chain conveyor mechanism 40 is configured to include a base 41, a plurality of endless chains 42 (three in the embodiment) that are movable to two positions: a transport position Ha (FIG. 4(a)) that protrudes from each space e above the support surface 37 of the support unit 38 and can support and transport the solar cell module M, and a retracted position Hb (FIG. 4(b)) that retracts into each space e from the support surface 37 and causes the solar cell module M to be supported by the support unit 38, an operating mechanism 43 that is provided on the base 41 and operates each chain 42, and an air cylinder device 44 that is provided on the base 31 and moves the base 41 up and down to move each chain 42 to the two positions, the transport position Ha and the retracted position Hb.

[0041] The operating mechanism 43 is configured to include a drive motor 45, a main shaft 46 that is rotated by the drive motor 45 and has an axis along the width direction of the base 41, main sprockets 47 that are provided on the main shaft 46 to correspond to each of the chains 42, and a plurality of driven sprockets 48 that are provided to correspond to each of the chains 42 and with which the chains 42 mesh along the transport direction of the solar cell modules M. Each chain 42 is stretched over the corresponding main sprocket 47 and multiple driven sprockets 48.

[0042] The presser body 32 is provided with a plurality of pressing mechanisms 50 that press the pair of short-side frame units Fa and the pair of long-side frame units Fb of the frame body F from the inside toward the outside at the pressing position X of the presser body 32. The pressing mechanisms 50 are provided to be movable back and forth on the presser body 32, and as shown in Fig. 7(a), are configured to include a pressing member 51 having an abutment surface T that abuts against the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 serving as the inner region Q located at the farthest position from the boundary B between the outer surface 11 of the holding portion 10 and the outer surface 21 of the reinforcing portion 20 in the cross section of the frame body F when advanced, and presses this side edge 23a, and a drive unit 55 that drives the pressing member 51 back and forth.

[0043] More specifically, the pressing members 51 are formed as plate members that extend in a direction perpendicular to the side edges 23a of the horizontal plates 23 that constitute the reinforcing portion 20 of the frame unit and have front end faces 51a as abutment surfaces T that abut against the side edges 23a. A plurality of the pressing members 51 are arranged in a row at required intervals along the longitudinal direction of the frame unit, and each pressing member 51 is held by a holder 52. The holder 52 is formed with an L-shaped cross section and includes a support plate 53 that extends along the longitudinal direction of the frame unit and to which rear end faces 51b of the pressing members 51 are fixed, and a base plate 54 that is provided contiguous with the lower edge of the support plate 53 and to which lower end faces 51c of the pressing members 51 are fixed.

[0044] In this embodiment, for a pair of short-side frame units Fa of the frame body F, a holder 52 holding five pressing members 51 at a required interval is disposed with its support plate 53 facing the pressing body 32. Also, for a pair of long-side frame units Fb of the frame body F, a pair of holders 52 holding four pressing members 51 at a required interval is disposed along the conveyance direction with its support plate 53 facing the pressing body 32.

[0045] 5 and 6, the drive unit 55 is composed of a hydraulic cylinder device 56 consisting of a piston 56a and a cylinder 56b. A pair of hydraulic cylinder devices 56 is provided for each of the holders 52 corresponding to a pair of short-side frame units Fa of the frame body F, and these pistons 56a are connected to the support plate 53 of the holder 52, and these cylinders 56b are housed and fixed in the upper case 32a of the presser body 32. In addition, a guide unit 57 that guides the movement of the holder 52 is provided between the pair of hydraulic cylinder devices 56. The guide unit 57 is composed of a guide shaft 57a extending from the holder 52 and a guide bearing 57b that is provided in the upper case 32a and slidably guides the guide shaft 57a.

[0046] On the other hand, one hydraulic cylinder device 56 is provided for each of a pair of holders 52 corresponding to a pair of long-side frame units Fb of the frame body F, and this piston 56a is connected to the support plate 53 of the holder 52, and this cylinder 56b is housed and fixed in the lower case 32b of the presser body 32. Also, for each of the pair of holders 52, a guide section 57 that guides the movement of the holder 52 is provided in parallel with the hydraulic cylinder device 56. The guide section 57 is composed of a guide shaft 57a extending from the holder 52 and a guide bearing 57b that is provided in the lower case 32b and slidably guides the guide shaft 57a.

[0047] 1 and 2, a shutter 60 is provided on the upstream side of the support section 30 (the supply section Sa side) which opens the transport path for the solar cell module M when it is transported from the supply section Sa and closes the transport path when the pressing mechanism 50 presses the frame body F. Also, a shutter 60 is provided on the downstream side of the support section 30 which opens the transport path for the solar cell module M when it is transported and closes the transport path when the pressing mechanism 50 presses the frame body F.

[0048] The recycling system S is provided with a control unit 70 (FIG. 1) that controls the supply unit Sa and the sorting unit Sb as well as the frame separation device K. In the frame separation device K, the control unit 70 controls the hydraulic cylinder device 34 of the moving unit 33 that moves the presser body 32, the air cylinder device 44 that moves the base 41 of the chain conveyor mechanism 40, the drive motor 45 of the operating mechanism 43 that operates the chain 42, the hydraulic cylinder device 56 that constitutes the drive unit 55 of the multiple pressing mechanisms 50 that press the frame body F, the air cylinder device 61 of the shutter 60, etc., so that required operations are performed. In particular, the control unit 70 has the function of first activating the hydraulic cylinder device 56 that constitutes the drive unit 55 of the pressing mechanism 50 that presses the short side frame unit Fa, and when the pressing member 51 associated with the drive unit 55 that was activated first reaches the advance end, activating the hydraulic cylinder device 56 that constitutes the drive unit 55 of the pressing mechanism 50 that presses the long side frame unit Fb.

[0049] Therefore, in the frame separation device K of the present recycling system S, solar cell modules M are sequentially transported and supplied from the supply section Sa. During transport from the supply section Sa, a shutter 60 opens the transport path for the solar cell modules M. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the air cylinder device 44 positions the chain 42 of the chain conveyor mechanism 40 at the transport position Ha, where the supplied solar cell module M is received and supported by the chain 42 for transport. During this transport process, as shown in FIG. 4(b), once the solar cell module M is positioned in a predetermined position, the air cylinder device 44 moves the chain 42 to the retracted position Hb. As a result, the solar cell module M supported by the chain 42 descends together with the chain 42, and during this descending process, the panel body P is supported by the multiple support units 38. Therefore, the solar cell module M can be easily positioned for transport and supported by the support units 38.

[0050] Next, on the supply section Sa side of the support section 30, the air cylinder device 61 closes the conveying path with a shutter 60. The shutter 60 also closes the conveying path downstream of the support section 30. In this state, the hydraulic cylinder device 34 of the moving section 33 is operated to move the pressing body 32 from the separation position Y to the pressing position X, bringing it into contact with the back surface 2 of the panel body P and pressing the panel body P against the support section 30. Then, the pressing mechanism 50 presses the frame body F from the inside outward to separate the frame body F. In this case, first, the hydraulic cylinder device 56 constituting the drive unit 55 of the pressing mechanism 50 that presses the short-side frame unit Fa is activated. As a result, the pressing member 51 advances as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6(a) and (b). As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and (b), the pressing member 51 abuts against and presses the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 of the reinforcing section 20. 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams showing pressing of the long-side frame unit Fb, but the process is the same as when pressing of the short-side frame unit Fa.

[0051] 7(b), the pressure of the pressing member 51 presses the holding portion 10 via the reinforcing portion 20, causing the holding portion 10 to slip out from the outer periphery of the panel body P, and the short-side frame unit Fa is removed from the panel body P. In this case, a moment load acts on the holding portion 10 with the horizontal plate 23 and the standing plate 22 of the reinforcing portion 20 as arms, increasing the removal force and ensuring the removal of the frame body F. In particular, the pressing member 51 abuts against and presses the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23, which is the inner portion Q located at the farthest position from the boundary B between the outer surface 11 of the holding portion 10 and the outer surface 21 of the reinforcing portion 20. Therefore, the torsional force is stronger than when pressing the inner surface located in the middle of the standing plate 22 of the reinforcing portion 20, as in the conventional case. Therefore, as shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), even if there is a plate-shaped corner member C at the corner of the frame body F, a large shear force can be applied to this corner member C to reliably separate the piece plates Ca from each other, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the frame body F.

[0052] In this case, the drive unit 55 of the pressing mechanism 50 that presses the short-side frame unit Fa is activated first, so the short-side frame unit Fa is separated first from the long-side frame unit Fb. Therefore, the twisting force generated at the corner is more likely to be generated by pressing the short-side frame unit Fa than the long-side frame unit Fb, so the corner can be separated reliably.

[0053] Furthermore, in this case, since the pressing member 51 is composed of a plate member having a front end surface 51a that extends in a direction perpendicular to the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 and abuts against the side edge 23a, the pressing force of the pressing member 51 is concentrated, and since there are multiple pressing members 51 at required intervals, the horizontal plate 23 is pressed against the horizontal plate 23 at multiple points, which makes it possible to more reliably remove the frame body F. In this case, since the rear end surface 51b of the pressing member 51 is fixed to the support plate 53, when pressing the pressing member 51, the support plate 53 of the holder 52 advances the pressing member 51 forward from the rear end surface 51b side, which makes it possible to more reliably transmit force and separate the frame body F. Furthermore, since the lower end surface 51c of the pressing member 51 is fixed to the base plate 54 of the holding body 52, the pressing member 51 is reliably supported, and the pressing member 51 can be brought into contact with the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 of the reinforcing part 20 to apply pressure stably.

[0054] Furthermore, since the conveying path is closed by the shutter 60 on the supply section Sa side of the support section 30, when a short-side frame unit Fa on the supply section Sa side is pressed and separated, even if the separated short-side frame unit Fa tries to fly out toward the supply section Sa, it collides with the shutter 60 and falls, preventing a situation from adversely affecting the supply section Sa. Similarly, since the conveying path is also closed by the shutter 60 on the downstream side of the support section 30, when a short-side frame unit Fa on the sorting section Sb side is pressed and separated, even if the separated short-side frame unit Fa tries to fly out toward the sorting section Sb, it collides with the shutter 60 and falls, preventing a situation from adversely affecting the sorting section Sb.

[0055] When the pressing member 51 associated with the drive unit 55, which was activated first, reaches the extension end, the hydraulic cylinder device 56 constituting the drive unit 55 of the pressing mechanism 50 that presses the long-side frame unit Fb is next activated. At this time, the pressing member 51 is advanced as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6(a) and 6(b). As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), the pressing member 51 abuts against and presses the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 of the reinforcing portion 20. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the pressure of the pressing member 51 presses the holding portion 10 via the reinforcing portion 20, causing the holding portion 10 to slip out of the outer periphery of the panel body P, and the long-side frame unit Fb is removed from the panel body P. In this case, as described above, a moment load acts on the holding portion 10 with the horizontal plate 23 and the upright plate 22 of the reinforcing portion 20 acting as arms, increasing the removal force and ensuring reliable removal of the frame body F. In particular, the pressing member 51 abuts against and presses the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23, which is the inner portion Q located at the farthest position from the boundary B between the outer surface 11 of the retaining portion 10 and the outer surface 21 of the reinforcing portion 20, and therefore the torsional force is stronger than when pressing the inner surface located in the middle of the upright plate 22 of the reinforcing portion 20 as in the conventional case.

[0056] Furthermore, in this case, since the pressing member 51 is formed of a plate member having a front end surface 51a that extends in a direction perpendicular to the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 and abuts against the side edge 23a, the pressing force of the pressing member 51 is concentrated, and since there are multiple pressing members 51 at required intervals, the horizontal plate 23 is pressed against the horizontal plate 23 at multiple points, which makes it possible to more reliably remove the frame body F. In this case, since the rear end surface 51b of the pressing member 51 is fixed to the support plate 53, when pressing the pressing member 51, the support plate 53 of the holder 52 advances the pressing member 51 forward from the rear end surface 51b side, which makes it possible to more reliably transmit force and separate the frame body F. Furthermore, since the lower end surface 51c of the pressing member 51 is fixed to the base plate 54 of the holding body 52, the pressing member 51 is reliably supported, and the pressing member 51 can be brought into contact with the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 of the reinforcing part 20 to apply pressure stably.

[0057] Once separation of the frame bodies F is complete, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the hydraulic cylinder device 56 of the drive unit 55 is operated to retract the pressing member 51 together with the holder 52 to their original positions. At the same time, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hydraulic cylinder device 34 of the moving unit 33 is operated to move the pressing body 32 from the separation position Y to the pressing position X. Then, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the air cylinder device 44 moves the chain 42 of the chain conveyor mechanism 40 to the transfer position Ha, and the panel body P supported by the support unit 30 is supported by the chain 42 and transferred downstream to the sorting section Sb. In the sorting section Sb, the required processing is carried out. The frame bodies F separated in the frame separating device K can be collected and recycled as useful metals.

[0058] 9 to 14 show a solar cell module frame separation device according to another embodiment of the present invention. This solar cell module frame separation device K has the same configuration as that described above, but differs in the configuration of the pressing body 32 and the pressing mechanism 80. Note that the same components as those described above are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0059] The presser body 32 is configured to include a box-shaped presser member 32c that abuts against the solar cell module M and a holding plate 32d that holds the presser member 32c approximately in its center. The presser body 32 is moved to two positions, a pressing position X and a separated position Y, by a hydraulic cylinder device 34 serving as a moving unit 33. An upper plate 35 supported by the base 31 is provided above the presser body 32, and the hydraulic cylinder device 34 has a piston 34a that is linked to the center of the holding plate 32d above the presser body 32, and a cylinder 34b that is provided on the upper plate 35. Four guide units 36 that guide the movement of the presser body 32 are provided around the hydraulic cylinder device 34. The guide units 36 include a guide shaft 36a that stands on the holding plate 32d and a guide bearing 36b that is provided on the upper plate 35 and slidably guides the guide shaft 36a.

[0060] The presser body 32 is provided with a plurality of pressing mechanisms 80 that press the pair of short-side frame units Fa and the pair of long-side frame units Fb of the frame body F from the inside toward the outside at the pressing position X of the presser body 32. The pressing mechanisms 80 are provided to be movable forward and backward on the presser body 32, and similarly to the above, are configured with a pressing member 81 having an abutment surface T that abuts against the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 serving as the inner region Q located at the farthest position from the boundary B between the outer surface 11 of the holding portion 10 and the outer surface 21 of the reinforcing portion 20 in the cross section of the frame body F when advanced, and presses this side edge 23a, and a drive unit 82 that is provided on the back surface of the holding plate 32d via a support body 110 and drives this pressing member 81 forward and backward. In the embodiment, two pressing mechanisms 80 are provided adjacent to each of a pair of short-side frame units Fa of the frame body F, and three pressing mechanisms 80 are provided adjacent to each of a pair of long-side frame units Fb of the frame body F.

[0061] More specifically, the pressing member 81 is made up of a rectangular plate member having a contact surface T that contacts the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 that constitutes the reinforcing portion 20 of the frame unit. The contact surface T is made up of the surface of the plate member. The driving portion 82 is made up of a hydraulic cylinder device 83 in which a piston 83a is provided in a cylinder 83b so that the piston 83a can move back and forth. The pressing member 81 is attached to the piston 83a of this hydraulic cylinder device 83 via an attachment member 85.

[0062] The mounting member 85 for mounting the pressing member 81 is integrally formed from a metal material, and is configured to include a plate-shaped front member 86 mounted to the tip of the piston 83 a, a plate-shaped main member 87 connected to the front member 86 and extending axially rearward of the piston 83 a, and a rear member 88 with an L-shaped cross section connected to the rear end side of the main member 87, with its front end located rearward of the tip of the piston 83 a and forming a mounting surface 89 for mounting the pressing member 81.

[0063] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a through mounting hole 91 is formed on the lower edge side of the pressing member 81 at symmetrical positions on both ends in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a first bolt 90 having a shaft portion with a male thread and a head portion with a larger diameter than the shaft portion is inserted therethrough, and the through mounting hole 91 has a step portion 92 against which the head of the inserted first bolt 90 abuts.

[0064] Meanwhile, a pair of first female threads 93 are formed on a mounting surface 89 of a rear member 88 of the mounting member 85 at positions corresponding to the mounting holes 91 of the pressing member 81. The male threads of the shank of a first bolt 90 inserted through the mounting holes 91 are threadedly engaged with the first female threads 93. This makes it possible to mount the pressing member 81 to the rear member 88 of the mounting member 85 with the first bolt 90.

[0065] Furthermore, this device is provided with an advancement position adjustment mechanism 100 that varies the advancement position of a contact surface T of the pressing member 81 at the advancement end of the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83. The advancement position adjustment mechanism 100 is configured with a spacer 101 that is detachably interposed between the pressing member 81 and the mounting surface 89 of the rear member 88 of the mounting member 85. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , the spacer 101 is configured as a rectangular plate-like member having an end face that is the same size as the mounting surface 89 of the mounting member 85. This spacer 101 is formed with through-holes 103 at symmetrical positions on both ends in the longitudinal direction, into which a second bolt 102 having a shank with a male thread and a head portion with a larger diameter than the shank is inserted, and which have stepped portions 104 against which the head of the inserted second bolt 102 abuts. Meanwhile, a pair of second female threads 105 are formed on the mounting surface 89 of the rear member 88 of the mounting member 85 at locations corresponding to the through holes 103 of the spacer 101. The male threads of the shank of the second bolt 102 inserted into the through holes 103 are threadedly engaged with the second female threads 105. This allows the spacer 101 to be attached to the rear member 88 of the mounting member 85 by the second bolts 102.

[0066] Furthermore, a pair of first female threads 93 are formed on a mounting surface 106 that is symmetrically positioned between the pair of through holes 103 of the spacer 101 and corresponds to the mounting holes 91 of the pressing member 81, and that engage with the male threads of the shank of the first bolt 90 that is inserted into the mounting holes 91. This allows the pressing member 81 to be attached to the spacer 101 with the first bolt 90.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 10 , the spacers 101 can be used in a double row. That is, a long second bolt 102 is used to double the spacers 101, and the second bolt 102 is inserted into the through-hole 103 of the spacer 101 and screwed into the second female thread 105 of the rear member 88 of the mounting member 85. The spacers 101 are not limited to double rows, and three or more rows may be connected. The front-to-rear length of the spacers 101 may be determined as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , the front-to-rear length of the spacer 101 corresponding to the short-side direction of the solar cell module M may be 100 mm, and the front-to-rear length of the spacer 101 corresponding to the long-side direction of the solar cell module M may be 50 mm. Of course, the types of spacers 101 with different front-to-rear lengths are not limited to this, and various types may be prepared.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 10, in the dimension between the mounting surfaces 89 of the rear member 88 of the left and right mounting members 85, the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is retracted is a, and the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is advanced is b. In the dimension between the mounting surfaces 106 of the left and right spacers 101 when one spacer 101 is attached, the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is retracted is c, and the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is advanced is d. In the dimension between the mounting surfaces 106 of the left and right spacers 101 when the spacers 101 are mounted in pairs, if the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 retracts is e, the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 advances is f, and the length of the spacer 101 in the front-to-rear direction is 100 mm, then, for example, the following can be set: a = 1152 mm, b = 1652 mm, c = 1352 mm, d = 1852 mm, e = 1552 mm, and f = 2052 mm.

[0069] 11 , in the dimension between the mounting surfaces 89 of the rear member 88 of the left and right mounting members 85, g represents the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is retracted, and h represents the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is advanced. In the dimension between the mounting surfaces 106 of the left and right spacers 101 when one spacer 101 is attached, i represents the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is retracted, and j represents the dimension when the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is advanced. If the length of the spacer 101 in the front-to-rear direction is 50 mm, then, for example, g = 702 mm, h = 1002 mm, i = 802 mm, and j = 1102 mm can be set. This makes it possible to easily accommodate solar cell modules M of different sizes, i.e., solar cell modules M with different distances between frame units, by simply changing the spacers 101.

[0070] That is, in general, the size of the solar cell module M varies depending on the manufacturer, with the length ranging from 800mm to 1000mm and the width ranging from 1200mm to 1700mm, as there are no particular standards set for it. However, by adjusting this advancement position adjustment mechanism 100, the advancement position of the contact surface T of the pressing member 81 at the advancement end of the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 can be varied. Therefore, if a hydraulic cylinder device 83 that can accommodate a small-sized solar cell module M is selected and incorporated, it can then be made to accommodate solar cell modules M of different sizes by adjusting the advancement position adjustment mechanism 100 without changing the hydraulic cylinder device 83, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0071] 12, two pressing mechanisms 80 are provided adjacent to each of the pair of short-side frame units Fa of the frame body F, spaced apart along the longitudinal direction, and three pressing mechanisms 80 are provided adjacent to each of the pair of long-side frame units Fb of the frame body F, spaced apart along the longitudinal direction. Of the pair of short-side frame units Fa and the pair of long-side frame units Fb, at least the pressing mechanism 80 corresponding to the long-side frame unit Fb (in this embodiment, of the pressing mechanisms 80 corresponding to the long-side frame unit Fb), the longitudinal positions of the two pressing mechanisms 80 on the outer side in the longitudinal direction are adjustable. More specifically, in the two pressing mechanisms 80 on the outer side in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 14, a support 110 supporting a hydraulic cylinder device 83 is slidably supported on a rail 111 provided on the back surface of the retaining plate 32d, and can be positioned and fixed at a required position.

[0072] 10 and 11, in a frame separation device K according to another embodiment, pressing members 81 are attached to pistons 83a of hydraulic cylinder devices 83 in accordance with the size of the solar cell modules M supplied from the supply unit Sa. If necessary, the spacers 101 of the advancement position adjustment mechanism 100 are arranged in one or two rows, and the advancement position of the contact surface T of the pressing member 81 at the advancement end of the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 is changed and adjusted. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12, in the two longitudinally outer pressing mechanisms 80 corresponding to the long-side frame units Fb, the supports 110 supporting the hydraulic cylinder devices 83 are slid and positioned relative to rails 111 provided on the back surface of the holding plate 32d, thereby adjusting the width of the entire plurality (three) of pressing mechanisms 80.

[0073] In this case, the advanced position of the contact surface T of the pressing member 81 at the advanced end of the piston 83a of the hydraulic cylinder device 83 can be varied by adjusting the advanced position adjustment mechanism 100, so that it is possible to accommodate solar cell modules M of different sizes by adjusting the advanced position adjustment mechanism 100 without changing the hydraulic cylinder device 83, improving workability and versatility. Also, in this case, the advanced position adjustment mechanism 100 can change the contact position of the contact surface T of the pressing member 81 simply by replacing the spacer 101, improving operability. Furthermore, the width of the entire three pressing mechanisms 80 corresponding to the long-side frame units Fb can be adjusted, so that it is possible to accommodate solar cell modules M of different sizes in this respect as well, improving versatility.

[0074] When the solar cell module M is transported from the supply unit Sa, the hydraulic cylinder device 34 of the moving unit 33 presses the panel body P against the support unit 30. Then, the pressing mechanism 80 presses the frame body F from the inside outward to separate the frame body F. In this case, first, the hydraulic cylinder device 83 constituting the drive unit of the pressing mechanism 80 that presses the short-side frame unit Fa is activated, and then the hydraulic cylinder device 83 constituting the drive unit of the pressing mechanism 80 that presses the long-side frame unit Fb is activated. This causes the pressing member 81 to advance, and the pressing member 81 abuts against and presses the side edge 23a of the horizontal plate 23 of the reinforcing portion 20 of the frame body F. In this case, a moment load acts on the holding unit 10 with the horizontal plate 23 and the upright plate 22 of the reinforcing portion 20 as arms, increasing the removal force and enabling the frame body F to be removed reliably. Other functions and effects are substantially the same as those described above.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the shape and number of the pressing members 51, 81 are not limited to those described above, and may be modified as appropriate as long as they are configured to abut against the inner region Q located at the furthest position from the boundary B between the outer surface 11 of the holding portion 10 and the outer surface 21 of the reinforcing portion 20 of the frame body F, thereby pressing the inner region Q. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the frame body F is one having a hollow portion 24 into which a corner member C is inserted, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and it goes without saying that the present invention is also effective for types without a hollow portion 24 or a type without a corner member C. Those skilled in the art will easily make many modifications to these exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and effects of the present invention, and these many modifications are within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] K Frame Separator S Recycling System Sa supply department Sb sorting section Sb1 Crushing and Separation Equipment Sb2 Peeling Machine Sb3 cutting machine M solar cell module P panel body 1 surface 2 Back side 3 Outer surface 3a Short side 3b Long side F Fa Short side frame only Fb Long side frame only 10 Holding part 11 Exterior 12 Vertical board 13 Front horizontal board 14 Back and side boards 20 Reinforcement 21 Exterior 22 Standing board 23 Horizontal board 23a Side edge (inner part Q) 24 Hollow part C Corner member Ca single plate B boundary Q Inner part 30 Support part 31 Foundation 32 Presser foot 32a, 32b Case 32c Presser member 32d retaining plate 33 Mobile Unit 34 Hydraulic cylinder device 34a Piston 34b cylinder 35 Upper Plate 36 Guide section 36a Guide shaft 36b Guide bearing 37 Support surface 38 Support Unit e space 39 Legs 40 Chain conveyor mechanism 41 Pedestal 42 Chain Ha Transport position Hb immersion position 43 Operating mechanism 44 Air cylinder device 45 Drive motor 46 Spindle 47 main sprocket 48 Follower sprocket 50 Pressing mechanism 51 Pressing member T Contact surface 51a Front end surface 51b Rear end surface 51c Lower end surface 52 Holding body 53 Support plate 54 Baseplate 55 Drive unit 56 Hydraulic cylinder device 56a Piston 56b cylinder 57 Guide section 57a Guide shaft 57b Guide bearing 60 Shutter 61 Air cylinder device 70 Control Unit 80 Pressing mechanism 81 Pressing member 82 Drive unit 83 Hydraulic cylinder device 83a Piston 83b Cylinder 85 Mounting material 86 Front member 87 Main member 88 Rear member 89 Mounting surface 90 First Bolt 91 Mounting hole 92 Step 93 First female screw 100 Advance position adjustment mechanism 101 Spacer 102 Second Bolt 103 Through hole 104 Step 105 Second female screw 106 Mounting Surface 110 Support 111 Rail

Claims

1. A solar cell module frame separation device for separating a frame body of a solar cell module, the frame body being configured by surrounding a panel body with the frame body, from the panel body, the frame body is configured to include a holding portion that fits into an outer peripheral portion of the panel body to hold the outer peripheral portion, and a reinforcing portion that has an outer surface that is continuous with the outer surface of the holding portion on the back side of the panel body and is integrally formed with the holding portion to reinforce the holding portion, a support portion for supporting the surface of the panel body; a presser body movable to two positions, a presser position for contacting the back surface of the panel body supported by the support portion and pressing the panel body against the support portion, and a spaced position for being spaced from the support portion; and a pressing mechanism for pressing the frame body from the inside toward the outside at the presser position of the presser body. the pressing mechanism is configured to include a pressing member that is provided to be able to advance and retreat and that, when advanced, abuts against an inner portion that is located at a position farthest from the boundary between the outer surface of the holding portion and the outer surface of the reinforcing portion in the cross section of the frame body, thereby pressing the inner portion, and a drive unit that drives the pressing member to advance and retreat, a supply section is provided at one end side of the support section, which transports and supplies the solar cell module to the support section with the short side of the panel body of the solar cell module facing forward, and the support section is configured to include a plurality of support units, each having a support surface extending along the transport direction of the solar cell module transported from the supply section and arranged at least three apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and spaced apart by a predetermined width, to support the surface of the panel body of the solar cell module; a chain conveyor mechanism provided with a plurality of chains that can move to two positions: a transport position where the chains are protruded from each space above the support surface of the support unit and can support and transport the solar cell module; and a retracted position where the chains are retracted into each space below the support surface and allow the solar cell module to be supported by the support unit; a shutter provided between the supply section and the support section that opens the transport path for the solar cell module when the module is transported from the supply section and closes the transport path when the frame body is pressed by the pressing mechanism.

2. A solar cell module frame separation device for separating a frame body of a solar cell module, the frame body being configured by surrounding a panel body with the frame body, from the panel body, The panel body is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate having a pair of parallel short sides and a pair of parallel long sides, and the frame body is composed of a pair of short side frame units corresponding to the pair of short sides of the panel body and a pair of long side frame units corresponding to the pair of long sides of the panel body, and is formed into a frame shape by alternately arranging the short side frame units and the long side frame units and joining adjacent ends thereof, and is configured with a holding portion that fits into the outer periphery of the panel body to hold the outer periphery, and a reinforcing portion that is formed integrally with the holding portion on the back side of the panel body and reinforces the holding portion, the reinforcing portion is configured to include a standing plate having an outer surface continuous with the outer surface of the holding portion and erected integrally with the holding portion, and a horizontal plate that is connected integrally to the standing plate, is parallel to the back surface of the panel body, and faces the back surface, a support portion for supporting the surface of the panel body; a presser body movable to two positions, a presser position for contacting the back surface of the panel body supported by the support portion and pressing the panel body against the support portion, and a separate position for separating from the support portion; and a plurality of pressing mechanisms for pressing the pair of short-side frame units and the pair of long-side frame units from the inside to the outside at the presser position of the presser body. The pressing mechanism is configured to include a pressing member that is provided to be movable forward and backward and has an abutment surface that abuts against a side edge of the horizontal plate that is an inner portion located at a position furthest from a boundary between an outer surface of the holding portion and an outer surface of the reinforcing portion in a cross section of the frame body when advanced, and presses the side edge, and a drive unit that drives the pressing member forward and backward, the drive unit is configured as a hydraulic cylinder device in which a piston is provided in a cylinder so as to be able to advance and retreat, the pressing member is attached to the piston of the hydraulic cylinder device, and an advancement position adjustment mechanism is provided which changes the advancement position of the contact surface of the pressing member at the advancement end of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder device, a mounting member for mounting the pressing member to the piston; the mounting member is configured to include a front member attached to the tip of the piston, a main member connected to the front member and extending to the rear side in the axial direction of the piston, and a rear member connected to the rear end side of the main member, the front end of which is located rearward of the tip of the piston and which forms a mounting surface for mounting the pressing member, a frame separation device for a solar cell module, wherein the advance position adjustment mechanism is configured to include a spacer detachably interposed between the mounting surface of the rear member of the mounting member and the pressing member;

3. A solar cell module frame separation device as described in claim 2, characterized in that it is further provided with a control unit that first activates the drive unit of the pressing mechanism that presses the short side frame alone, and when the pressing member associated with the drive unit that was activated first reaches its advance end, activates the drive unit of the pressing mechanism that presses the long side frame alone.

4. 3. The solar cell module frame separation device according to claim 2, wherein the pressing members are plate members extending in a direction perpendicular to the side edges of the horizontal plate and having front end faces as abutment surfaces that abut against the side edges, and the pressing members are arranged in a row at required intervals along the longitudinal direction of the frame unit, and each pressing member is held by a holder.

5. 5. The solar cell module frame separating device according to claim 4, wherein the holder comprises a support plate extending along the longitudinal direction of the frame unit and to which the rear end face of the pressing member is fixed.

6. 6. The solar cell module frame separation device according to claim 5, wherein the holder comprises a base plate that is provided contiguous with the lower edge of the support plate and to which the lower end surface of the pressing member is fixed.

7. A frame separation device for a solar cell module as described in claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of pressing mechanisms corresponding to at least one of the pair of short side frame units and the pair of long side frame units are provided at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the corresponding frame unit, and the longitudinal position of the pressing mechanism on the outer side of the longitudinal direction is adjustable.

8. a supply section is provided at one end side of the support section, which transports and supplies the solar cell module to the support section with the short side of the panel body of the solar cell module facing forward, and the support section is configured to include a plurality of support units, each having a support surface extending along the transport direction of the solar cell module transported from the supply section and arranged at least three apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and spaced apart by a predetermined width, to support the surface of the panel body of the solar cell module; 8. A solar cell module frame separation device as described in any one of claims 2 to 7, further comprising a chain conveyor mechanism having a plurality of chains that can move to two positions: a transport position where the chains protrude from each space above the support surface of the support unit and can support and transport the solar cell module; and a retracted position where the chains retract into each space below the support surface and support the solar cell module on the support unit.

9. 9. The solar cell module frame separation device according to claim 8, wherein a shutter is provided between the supply section and the support section to open the transport path of the solar cell module when it is transported from the supply section and to close the transport path when the frame body is pressed by the pressing mechanism.

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