Systems and methods for recycling electronic systems
AssigneeCooledge Lighting Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Tischler, Calvin Wade Sheen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with certain embodiments, devices are recycled by removing one or more electronic components from a portion of the device and urging one or more regions of the portion of the device toward an abrasion head. The abrasion head mechanically removes at least a portion of patternable material in each of the one or more regions. The steps are repeated for subsequent portions of the device.
Claims23
A method of recycling a device comprising a plurality of electronic components disposed over a flexible composite material, the flexible composite material comprising a flexible substrate and a patternable material disposed thereover, wherein the patternable material is patterned to form a pattern therein, the method comprising:
- receiving a portion of the device;
- removing one or more electronic components from the received portion of the device;
- locally deforming one or more regions of the received portion of the device to vertically urge the one or more regions toward an abrasion head without deforming or urging toward the abrasion head one or more other portions of the device, whereby the abrasion head mechanically removes at least a portion of the patternable material in each of the one or more regions;
- and
- repeating the above steps for one or more portions of the device.
A method of recycling a device comprising a plurality of electronic components disposed over a flexible composite material, the flexible composite material comprising a flexible substrate and a patternable material disposed thereover, wherein the patternable material is patterned to form a pattern therein, the method comprising:
- receiving a portion of the device horizontally from a supply reel;
- removing one or more electronic components from the received portion of the device;
- locally deforming one or more regions of the received portion of the device to vertically urge the one or more regions toward an abrasion head without deforming or urging toward the abrasion head one or more other portions of the device, whereby the abrasion head mechanically removes at least a portion of the patternable material from each of the one or more regions of the received portion of the device;
- thereafter, transferring the received portion of the device horizontally to a take-up reel;
- and
- repeating the above steps for one or more portions of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.