JPH03182759A - Production of separated function type organic photosensitive body for electrophotography - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To peel away the formed layers at the right and left ends of a photosensitive drum at an arbitrary width size by pressing and rubbing wiping tapes impregnated with a solvent to the required peeling parts at both ends of the photosensitive body in contact therewith and removing the ends of the formed layers. CONSTITUTION:The wiping tapes 10 impregnated with a proper amt. of the solvent required for peeling by dropping, etc., respectively according to the formed layers 4 to be removed at the right and left ends of the photosensitive drum 9, for example, the tape-like wiping tapes 10, such as non-woven fabrics or ribbons of, for example, polyester films, etc., are pressed to the formed layers in contact therewith. The photosensitive drum 9 and the wiping tapes 10 are rotated and run in this state respectively in the directions opposite therefrom and the wiping tapes 10 are laterally moved by a required width at need so that the formed layers 4a, 4b at the right and left ends are wiped away over a required width d. The formed layers 4a, 4b at both the right and left ends of the photosensitive drum 9 are peeled away at the arbitrary width without degrading the photosensitive characteristics in this way.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a method for producing a functionally separated organic photoreceptor for electrophotography;
In particular, it relates to the removal of the photosensitive layer at both left and right ends of the photoreceptor.

(Prior art and its problems to be solved) A functionally separated organic photoreceptor for electrophotography, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, has a charge generation layer ( resin layer〉(2), charge transport layer (
A forming layer (4) such as a photosensitive layer (3) is provided, and if necessary, a surface protective layer is provided on the surface thereof.

Further, as a method of forming each of these layers, for example, as shown in FIG.
A dip coating method in which the entire conductive support (1) is immersed in a coating liquid (5) and then pulled up at a constant speed as shown in FIG. 2), other spray coating methods, Various methods such as a blade coach ink method, a roller coating method, a spinner coating method, a vapor deposition method, and a combination of the above methods are used.

By the way, when a photoreceptor is installed in an electrophotographic device, a magnetic roller of a developing device and the surface of the photoreceptor are used to transport powder toner from a storage tank to the surface of the photoreceptor and make the electrostatic latent image visible. If the gap length changes, the thickness of the toner adhering to the magnetic roller will vary, resulting in variations in image density and resulting in poor images.

Therefore, a developing roller is interposed between the magnet roller and the left and right end portions of the photosensitive drum to prevent the gap length from changing.

However, when the developing roller is brought into direct contact with the forming layer surfaces on both left and right end surfaces of the photosensitive drum, the forming layer (4) at the contact portions of the developing roller gradually peels off during use. This not only causes a change in the gap length, leading to a decrease in image quality, but also causes black spots on the image due to the peeled off photosensitive layer, leading to a decrease in image quality.

In particular, in the method described above in which the conductive support is immersed in the coating liquid and then pulled up, when the conductive support is pulled up from the coating liquid (5), the coating liquid moves downward as shown in Figure 2 (C). flowing,
A liquid pool (6) is formed at the lower end of the photoconductor (exaggerated in the figure), which inevitably causes uneven coating. This tends to cause concentration unevenness, bubbles, and film thickness variations.

Conventionally, in order to prevent the above-mentioned inconvenience from occurring, the formation layer (4) on both the left and right end surfaces of the photoreceptor drum, which the developing roller contacts, is removed using mechanical peeling means such as a cutter or souffle bar, or Using chemical peeling methods such as dissolving with the solvent used to apply the layer,
A required width d is removed in advance as shown in FIG. 2(d).

However, when mechanical means such as a cutter or souffle bar are used, the formation layer (4) is easily peeled off in areas other than the edges, and the surface of the conductive support (1) in the peeled area is easily damaged. be.

Chemical stripping methods include, for example, a method in which the end of the photoreceptor drum is immersed in a solvent suitable for the properties of the formed layer to be stripped and rubbed with a flexible plate (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-1989-1).
No. 170858, JP-A No. 60-119562, and JP-A No. 1-143665) have the disadvantage that dimensional accuracy cannot be satisfied because the formed layer other than the peeled portion is dissolved due to seepage of the solvent. In addition, in peeling methods that use a combination of solvent and ultrasonic waves (for example, see JP-A-59-142555), the paper layer of the solvent causes chemical effects such as discoloration on the surface of the forming layer, and furthermore, the solvent bubbles due to cavitation cause the liquid to evaporate. Not only do splashes cause defects on the surface of the forming layer, but there is also the disadvantage that dimensional accuracy cannot be avoided due to seepage, and there are various other methods that can avoid the occurrence of the various disadvantages described above. do not have.

(Objective of the Invention) The object of the present invention is to provide a method for peeling off the forming layer at the left and right ends of a photoreceptor drum in any dimension width according to the design without causing the above-mentioned difficulties. On offer.

(Means of the present invention for solving the problems) The present invention is characterized by the formation layer to be removed at the left and right ends of the photoreceptor drum (9), as shown in the front view of the main part in FIG. (4) A wiping tape 0 @ on which an appropriate amount of solvent required for peeling is soaked depending on the formed layer by dripping etc., for example, a wiping tape 0 @ in the form of a thin tape such as a non-woven fabric such as a polyester film or a ribbon etc. (Press ll to make contact, and in this state, rotate the photoreceptor drum (9) and wiping tape Oa) in opposite directions relative to the contact point, and apply wiping tape 0@ as necessary. The forming layer (4a) (4b) at the left and right ends is wiped off over the required width (d) by moving the width left and right.

In this way, the amount of solvent in the wiping tape is significantly smaller than the conventional method in which the peeled part of the photoreceptor drum's forming layer is immersed in a solvent and removed by rubbing with a flexible plate. Become. Therefore, it is possible to almost eliminate the seepage of the solvent into the forming layer other than the peeled portion, and therefore it is possible to improve the dimensional accuracy compared to the conventional method. Furthermore, since the conventional mechanical peeling means such as a cutter is not used, problems such as scratches on the surface from which the formed layer is peeled can be avoided.

Further, for example, when the peeled portion is immersed in a solvent and rubbed, it is difficult to peel off both the left and right ends at the same time. In contrast, in the present invention, since both ends are continuously rubbed and peeled at the same time while supplying an appropriate amount of solvent with a wiping tape, it is possible to simultaneously peel off the forming layers on both the left and right ends of the photoreceptor drum with high dimensional accuracy. Manufacturing yield can be improved and costs can be reduced.

Next, examples of the present invention will be described.

(Example) A photoreceptor with the following specifications was used as a target for removing the forming layer. As a member for forming the charge generation layer, a coating liquid was used in which 10 parts by weight of titanium phthalocyanine pigment, 3 parts by weight of polyvinyl butyral resin, and 1000 parts by weight of dioxane were dispersed for 12 hours using a sand mill device using glass beads. ×3301IIl aluminum drum coated by dipping method and then 110°
A charge generation layer having a thickness of 1.0 μm was formed by heating and drying with C.

Next, a coating liquid was prepared by dissolving 130 parts by weight of polycarbonate resin and 120 parts by weight of hydrazone as members for forming the charge transport layer in 750 parts by weight of chloroform, and this was applied onto the charge generation layer by dipping, and then heated at 80°C. A drum-shaped organic photoreceptor was used which had been heat-dried to form a charge transport layer with a thickness of 20 μm.

FIG. 4 also shows a tape wiping device.

The structure shown in the schematic side view and main part front view of FIG. 5 was used.

In Fig. 4, (7) is a drum holder, which is supported by a support fixed on a pedestal C as shown in Fig. 5 (rollers are omitted), and is driven by a drive motor (8). It is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

Further, the above-mentioned photosensitive drum (9), which is the object of separation, is attached to the drum holder (7). Returning to Figure 4, 0(
D is a wiping tape, which consists of two sets of tapes, one for peeling off the right end of the photoreceptor drum and one for peeling off the left end, as shown in FIG. Each of them is mounted on a frame C so that it can be moved left and right in the direction of the center axis of the drum holder (7) by a drive source (not shown).
2&l tape drive mechanisms A and B tape reels (10) installed on top.
), as shown in FIG. 4, are the various rollers provided in the tape drive mechanisms A and B of FIG. 5 (the rollers are not shown in FIG. 5), that is, the tape guide Q21. Tape roller 031 equipped with a clamp cylinder (13a) for clamping the tape, roller (b), and guide roller 05) 06) 07
), a tension roller 08), a tape clamp roller 09 equipped with a clamp cylinder (19a) for clamping the tape, and a roller (21) in the circumferential direction of the forming layer at the left and right ends of the photoreceptor drum (9). The tape is wound onto the take-up reels (21) of the tape drive mechanisms A and B so that they are pressed into contact with each other.
), two sets of wiping tapes are wound up at the same speed in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the photosensitive drum (9) (see the arrow in FIG. 4) by a drive motor (not shown). (22) is a solvent dripping nozzle, which is installed at the center of two pairs between the guide roller 09 and the photoreceptor drum (9) on the tape 00), and drips an appropriate amount of solvent onto the wiping tape 0). and soak.

While rotating the photoreceptor drum (9) in the - direction using the above wiping device, the wiping tape 00) soaked in chloroform under the conditions shown in Table 1 is run in the opposite direction to the photoreceptor drum (9), and the photoreceptor drum (9) is The forming layer (4) consisting of the charge generation layer and the charge transport layer shown in FIG. 1 was peeled off by moving the drum (9) to the left and right in the direction of its central axis. Note that the position of the wiping tape 0ω may be kept constant and the photosensitive drum (9) may be moved left and right in the axial direction.

As a result, unlike conventional mechanical peeling means, the conductive support could be peeled off in less than 1/10 of the time without causing peeling in areas other than the peeled part or damaging the surface of the conductive support after peeling. In addition, since a smaller amount of solvent is used compared to conventional chemical stripping methods, there is no possibility that the solvent will seep in and cause the outside of the silver to be peeled off or affect the photosensitive characteristics, and the time taken is less than 1/10 of the conventional method. I was able to peel it off.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the present invention, since the tape soaked in a solvent is wiped off by contact running, there is no possibility of peeling other than the necessary peeling area due to seepage of the solvent or deterioration of the photosensitive characteristics. This method has the advantage that the photosensitive layer on both the left and right ends of the photosensitive drum can be peeled off and removed with an arbitrary width, and production efficiency can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a functionally separated organic photoreceptor, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of formation of a photosensitive layer by a dipping method, and FIG. FIGS. 4 and 5 are explanatory diagrams of an embodiment of the present invention. (1)... Conductive support, (2)... Charge generation layer,
(3)...Charge transport layer, (4)...Formation layer such as photosensitive layer, (5)...Coating liquid, (6)...Liquid pool, (7
)...Drum holder, (8)...Drive motor, (9
)... Photoreceptor drum, θ0... Wiping tape, C
... Frame, D... Support, A, B... Tape drive mechanism, OD... Tape reel, Q'b... Tape guide, 0°0%... Qi 7' o - -7,04
, @-o-ra, 05), 06). 0? )...Guide roller, 08)...Tension roller, (21)...Take-up reel, (22>...Solvent dripping nozzle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Conductivity is achieved by pressing and rubbing a wiping tape soaked with a solvent compatible with the formation layers such as the charge generation layer and charge transport layer that form the functionally separated organic photoreceptor on the required peeling portions at both ends of the photoreceptor. 1. A method for producing a functionally separated organic photoreceptor for electrophotography, the method comprising removing an end portion of a forming layer of a sexual support.