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Since fiscal 2003, Sharp has been working
in collaboration with NEC Tokin Corporation, Union Seimitsu Co., Ltd., and
Tokai University in Japan on the development of mass production technology
for parts that make it easy to disassemble used products.
During fiscal 2004, this group implemented cost reductions and improved the
fastening strength of parts developed during the previous fiscal year for
practical application in communications equipment. The resulting washers
employ TiNi* shape-memory alloy. As seen in the illustration, the washer
remains securely fastened in use but expands when heated, releasing the head
of the screw and enabling the two combined pieces to come apart easily.
The group will continue its research in mass production technology over the
coming year, with plans to develop applications to home appliances in the
future.
* TiNi: Alloy made of titanium and nickel
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| ■ Functional features of “Easy-Release Fasteners” |
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| Easy-Release Fasteners use a shape-memory alloy washer in combination with a conventional metal screw. The screw is threaded through the washer and a hole slightly wider than the diameter of the screw head. When exposed to 100¡C heat, the diameter of the washer expands, allowing the fastener to come apart easily. The shape-memory alloy washer contains 50% titanium and 50% nickel. |
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| ■ Movie-Disassembling of the battery charger for the cellular phone |
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A QuickTime movie can be seen if a left photograph is clicked.
(QuickTimePlug-in is required.) |
| (mov : 3.19MB) |
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| Improved efficiency when equipment is disassembled at recycling facilities |
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| Dismantling and disassembling discarded consumer electronics equipment at appliance recycling facilities is primarily a manual operation and the current process requires a great deal of time and effort. However, disassembling products incorporecte Easy-Release technology can be done using simple equipment and merely involves placing the discarded product on a conveyor belt and subjecting it to heat, followed by cooling. Because these used products can be disassembled down to the level of individual components automatically without the need for human intervention, this approach allows the dismantling/disassembly process to take place in one-tenth*2 the time required previously. |
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| Principle automatic disassembly with application of heat |
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| *2 Based on result of tests conducted by Sharp using prototype LCD TVs . |
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| Recycling-friendly design aimed at higher resource-recovery rates |
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| In using hand tools to manually disassemble equipment, it is difficult to remove key components such as the LCD panel and pc boards, as well as parts located in hard-to-reach areas, without damaging them. But if Easy-Release technology is incorporated in the first place, such equipment can readily be disassembled down to the level of individual components without human intervention. This approach dramatically improves the percentage of materials that can be recovered in the recycling process. |
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