JPH0594028A - Drum transferring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the drum transferring device which can continuously execute a stage for coating the outer peripheral surfaces of photosensitive drums with a coating liquid and a stage for treating the coating liquid at the ends of the drums in a relatively narrow space at the time of producing the drums. CONSTITUTION:The drum 20 provided on a conveyor 10 is chucked by a chucking mechanism 38 provided on a lifting arm 35 of a drum transferring machine for carrying-in and is positioned over a coating liquid tank 33 by circumrotationally moving the lifting arm 35. After the drum 20 is immersed into the coating liquid tank 33, the drum 20 is imposed on a drum imposing base 34. This drum 20 is chucked by the chucking mechanism of a drum transferring machine for ejection and is transported to the position above a bottom end treating mechanism 42. The coating liquid applied at the bottom end of the drum 20 is treated by this bottom end treating mechanism 42. The drum 20 is thereafter imposed in the ejection position 12 of the conveyor 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum transfer device used for manufacturing a photosensitive drum used in, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine. More specifically, a photosensitive layer is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drum transfer device. The present invention relates to a drum coating process for coating a coating liquid on an aluminum drum and the like, and a drum transfer device used for loading and unloading a drum to and from an end treatment process of a drum which is performed subsequent to the drum coating process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A photosensitive drum used in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine usually forms a photosensitive layer by applying a coating liquid containing a photosensitive substance on the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum drum. Manufactured. In the coating step of coating the coating liquid on the drum, the coating liquid is coated on the outer peripheral surface by immersing the drum in a coating liquid tank storing the coating liquid and then lifting the drum vertically from the coating liquid. A flange or the like is usually attached to the end of the drum to which the coating liquid has been applied, and it is necessary to remove the coating liquid applied to the end in order to conduct a conductive treatment. For this,
The drum having been pulled up from the coating liquid and coated with the coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface is transferred to a drum lower end processing step of removing the coating liquid attached to the lower end of the drum in a vertical state.

An example of a manufacturing process of such a photosensitive drum is shown in FIG. In the process of manufacturing the photoconductor drum, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), a transfer device 80 for chucking the drum 82, which is vertically conveyed by a conveyor 85, and transferring it in a predetermined circumferential direction is used. The transfer device 80 is 90
One end of each of a plurality of horizontal arms 81 is attached to a vertical support shaft 83 that rotates intermittently at intervals. A chucking mechanism 99 that holds the drum 82 in a vertical state is provided at the tip of each arm 81. A chucking mechanism provided at the tip of each arm 81
The numeral 99 chucks the drum conveyed by the conveyor 85 at the loading position 85a of the conveyor 85. A coating liquid tank 84 is provided at a position 90 degrees away from the drum carry-in position 85a in the revolving direction of the arm 81 shown by the arrow A in FIG. 3 (b), and the coating liquid tank 84 is further provided.
Drum lower end processing mechanism at a position 90 degrees away from 84 in the same direction
88 are provided. Then, the drum lower end processing mechanism 88
A position 90 ° away from the drum is the drum unloading position 85b of the conveyor 85.

The coating liquid tank 84 is moved up and down by an elevating device 89, and the drum 82 vertically chucked by a chucking mechanism 99 at the tip of the arm 81 at the drum loading position 85a. Is positioned on the coating liquid tank 84 by the arm 81 moving 90 degrees around. Then, the coating liquid tank 84 is lifted by the elevating device 89, so that the drum 82 is immersed in the coating liquid stored in the coating liquid tank 84. Then, the lifting device 89
Is lowered and the drum 82 is withdrawn from the coating liquid tank 84, so that the coating liquid is coated on the outer peripheral surface of the drum 82. After that, the arm 81 is further rotated by 90 degrees, so that the drum 82 is positioned on the drum lower end processing mechanism 88. In the lower end processing mechanism 88, a solution tank containing a solution that dissolves the coating liquid applied to the outer peripheral surface of the drum is moved up and down by an elevating device (not shown). Ascending causes the lower end of the drum to be immersed in the solution. Then, by swinging the solution tank while the lower end of the drum is immersed in the solution, the coating liquid on the lower end of the drum immersed in the solution is dissolved in the solution. After that, the arm 81 is further rotated by 90 degrees so that the drum 82 is positioned on the drum unloading position 85b of the conveyor 85, and the drum 82 is placed on the conveyor 85. Then, the drum 82 and the conveyor 85
Is carried to the next step.

Further, FIG. 4 shows another example of the manufacturing process of the photosensitive drum. In this manufacturing process, as shown in FIG. 4B, a carry-in conveyor 86a for carrying in the drum, and a carry-out conveyor 86b for carrying out the drum, which is arranged in a straight line with an appropriate interval from the carry-in conveyor 86a, are used. In addition, the drum transfer device 91 for linearly transferring the drum between the two conveyors 86a and 86b is used. Between the carry-in conveyor 86a and the carry-out conveyor 86b, a coating liquid tank 93, a drum mounting table 92, and a drum lower end processing mechanism 93 are linearly arranged side by side from the carry-in conveyor 86a side. Drum transfer device
Reference numeral 91 denotes a pair of loading and unloading mechanism 91b and unloading lifting mechanism 9b which are reciprocally moved on a single guide rail 91a arranged between the ends of both conveyors 86a and 86b.
Each has 1b. Each elevating mechanism 91b is configured to elevate and lower a horizontally supporting plate 91c, and a chucking mechanism 99 for supporting the drum 82 in a vertical state is attached to each supporting plate 91c. Each lifting mechanism 91
b moves in the same direction on the guide rail 91a in synchronization.

[0006] The loading elevating mechanism 91b is moved on the guide rail 91a, is positioned on the side of the end portion of the loading conveyor 86a, and moves up and down to chuck the drum 82 mounted on the loading conveyor 86a. Is driven. When the drum 82 is chucked in the vertical state by the chucking mechanism 99, the loading elevating mechanism 91b moves on the guide rail 91a and positions the drum 82 on the coating tank 90.
In this state, the drum lifting device 91b moves the drum 82
By moving up and down, the coating liquid is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the drum 82. After that, the loading lifting mechanism 91b is driven,
The drum 82 to which the coating liquid is applied is located above the drum mounting table 92, and the carry-in lifting mechanism 91b is driven so that the drum 82 is mounted on the drum mounting table 92. When the drum 82 is placed on the drum mounting table 91, the chucking mechanism 99 releases the chucking of the drum, and the loading elevating mechanism 91b again causes the loading conveyor 8 to move.
It is moved to the side of the end of 6a.

The other carrying-out lifting mechanism 91b is moved on the guide rails 91a in synchronization with the carrying-in lifting mechanism 91b, and the carrying-in lifting mechanism 91b is coated with the coating liquid 82.
After being mounted on the drum mounting table 92, it is moved to the side of the carry-in conveyor 86a, and at the same time, the unloading elevating mechanism 91b is moved to the side of the drum mounting table 92. Then, the drum 82 on the drum mounting table 92 is chucked by the chucking mechanism 99, and the drum 82 is transferred onto the drum lower end processing mechanism 93. And the vertically chucked drum
After lowering 82 to remove the coating liquid at the lower end of the drum, it is moved to the side of the carry-out conveyor 86b, and the drum 82 having the lower end processed is placed and chucked on the carry-out conveyor 86b. To cancel.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a loading elevator mechanism 94a and a coating liquid tank 97 are provided on the side of the loading position on the linear conveyor 85, and on the sides of the loading position of the conveyor. An unloading elevating mechanism 94b and a drum lower end processing mechanism 98 are provided. And the coating liquid tank
A drum transfer table 85 that transfers the drum 82 along the conveyor 85 is provided between the 97 and the drum lower end processing mechanism. The loading elevating mechanism 94a supports a chucking mechanism 99 capable of reciprocating above the unloading position 85a of the conveyor 85 and above the coating liquid tank 97, and the drum 82 transported to the loading position of the conveyor 85. Is chucked and immersed in the coating liquid in the coating liquid tank 97. The drum transfer table 85 is
It is configured to horizontally move between the coating liquid tank 97 and the drum lower end processing mechanism 98, and the drum coated with the coating liquid is transferred from the chucking mechanism 99 on the coating liquid tank 97. .. Then, the drum 82 is provided with a drum lower end processing mechanism.
Carry on to 98. The unloading elevating mechanism 94b has a chucking mechanism 99 for chucking the drum on the drum transfer table 85, and the chucking mechanism 99 is a unloading mechanism for the drum lower end processing mechanism 98 and the conveyor 85. It can be moved back and forth on 85b. Therefore, the drum 82 on the drum transfer table 85 chucked by the drum chucking mechanism is transferred onto the carry-out position 85b of the conveyor 85.

[0009]

In the system shown in FIG. 3, since it is necessary to move the coating liquid tank 84 up and down, the coating liquid circulating system for circulating the coating liquid stored in the coating liquid tank 84 is complicated. There is a problem that it becomes a different mechanism. When changing the type of coating liquid, the coating liquid tank 84
The coating liquid tank 84 containing a new type of coating liquid must be attached to the lifting device 89 after removing the lifting device 89 from the lifting device 89, and the workability of setup change when the type of product to be manufactured changes. There is also the problem of being bad.

The system shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 does not have such a problem because the coating liquid tank is not moved up and down.
However, since the coating process and the lower end process of the drum are performed while the drum 82 is linearly moved, there is a problem that the work cannot be performed continuously and the work efficiency is poor. Further, the system shown in FIG. 5 requires not only a transfer mechanism in the direction orthogonal to the linear conveyor 85 but also a transfer mechanism in the direction along the conveyor 85, which complicates the apparatus. Further, in both systems, there is a problem that the space efficiency becomes poor because the mechanism for performing each processing is arranged along the straight line.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a drum transfer device having a relatively simple structure and capable of highly efficient drum processing. ..

[0012]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The drum transfer device of the present invention is disposed on the side of a linear conveyor that conveys a drum in a vertical state, and is for transferring the drum on the conveyor. A drum transfer device to be used, which is provided with an elevating mechanism for elevating an elevating arm in a horizontal state, a rotating mechanism for reciprocating the elevating arm in a horizontal plane, and a tip end part of the elevating arm. Each has a chucking mechanism for chucking the drum in a vertical state, and the orbiting movement range of each chucking mechanism overlaps at one place, and the orbiting movement range of each chucking mechanism and the conveyor are provided at one place respectively. It comprises a pair of drum transfer devices arranged side by side along the conveyor so as to overlap each other, thereby achieving the above object.

[0013]

In the drum transfer device of the present invention, the drum on the conveyor is chucked by the chucking mechanism of one of the drum transfer devices, and the elevating arm of the elevating mechanism is moved by a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction by the rotating mechanism. As a result, the predetermined processing step is performed. When a predetermined process is performed at this position, the lifting arm is moved to a position overlapping the rotation range of the lifting arm of the other drum transfer machine, and the chucking of the drum is released at that position. .. This drum is chucked by the other drum transfer device, and is conveyed to the position where the next predetermined process is performed by the orbital movement of the lifting arm. Then, by performing a predetermined process at that position, the drum is conveyed on the conveyor by the orbital movement of the lifting arm,
It is placed on the conveyor.

[0014]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. The drum transfer device of the present invention is used, for example, when manufacturing a photosensitive drum of an electrophotographic copying machine. As shown in FIG. 1, the drum transfer device has a pair of transfer transfer machines 30 and transfer transfer machines 40 arranged on the side of a linear belt conveyor 10 that transfers the drum 20 in the direction of arrow A. ing. The transfer device 30 for loading is a rotating mechanism arranged on the side of the conveyor 10.
A lifting mechanism 31 is attached on the 37, and the rotation mechanism 37
The lifting mechanism 31 is adapted to reciprocally rotate. As shown in FIG. 2, the elevating mechanism 31 is provided with an elevating arm 35 extending horizontally, and the elevating arm 35 is moved up and down. A chucking mechanism for chucking the upper end of the drum 10 in the vertical state to hold the drum 10 in the vertical state at the tip of the lifting arm 35.
38 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chucking mechanism 38 is positioned above the carry-in position 11 of the belt conveyor 10 by the orbiting movement of the lifting arm 35. Further, a drum mounting table 34 is provided below the revolving movement area of the chucking mechanism 38, which is separated from the carry-in position 11 by 90 degrees in the movement direction side of the belt conveyor 10. Further, a coating liquid tank 33, which stores a coating liquid to be coated on the outer peripheral surface of the drum, is arranged below the orbiting movement region 90 degrees away from the drum mounting table 34. The chucking mechanism 38 is circulated to a position 32, which is further 90 degrees away from the coating liquid tank 33, and the chucking mechanism 38 is exchanged at this position 32. ..

The rotating mechanism 37 is adapted to intermittently rotate the elevating mechanism 31 by 90 degrees in the reciprocating direction, and the chucking mechanism 38 causes the chucking mechanism 38 to move in the carrying-in position 11 of the conveyor 10 and the drum mounting table by the intermittent rotation. 34, the drum coating tank 33, and the chucking mechanism replacement position 32.

The carry-out transfer device 40 also has the same structure as the carry-out transfer device 30, and an elevating mechanism 41 is mounted on a rotating mechanism 47. A chucking mechanism is provided at the tip of the lifting arm 45 of the lifting mechanism 41. In the chucking mechanism, an upper part of the drum mounting table 34 is a revolving movement region, and a position where the revolving movement region intersects with the belt conveyor 10 is a drum unloading position 12. Therefore,
A drum mounting table 34 is provided below the revolving movement area 90 degrees apart from the drum unloading position 12, and the lower end of the drum is below the revolving movement area 90 degrees away from the drum mounting table 34. A partial processing mechanism 42 is arranged. Then, the chucking mechanism is capable of revolving to a position 43 which is further separated by 90 degrees from the drum lower end processing mechanism 42, and at that position 43, the chucking mechanism is exchanged or the like. It is like this.

The rotating mechanism in the carry-out transfer device 40 is also adapted to intermittently rotate the elevating mechanism 41 by 90 degrees.
Due to the intermittent rotation, the chucking mechanism becomes the conveyor 10
Are placed on the carry-out position 12, the drum mounting table 34, the drum lower end processing mechanism 42, and the chucking mechanism replacement position 43.

In the drum transfer device having such a structure, the drum 20 placed vertically on the conveyor 10 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A and is set to the carry-in position 11. When the drum 20 reaches the carry-in position 11, the rotation mechanism 37 of the carry-in transfer machine 30 is driven, and the chucking mechanism 38 provided at the tip of the elevating arm 35 is positioned above the drum 20 on the carry-in position 11. It In such a state, the elevating mechanism 31 is driven, the elevating arm 35 is lowered, and the chucking mechanism 38 is inserted into the upper end portion of the drum 20. Then, once the lowering of the elevating arm is stopped and the drum 20 is chucked by the chucking mechanism 38, the elevating arm 35 is raised.

Thereafter, the rotation mechanism 37 moves the lifting mechanism 31 to 180 degrees.
The drum 20 chucked by the chucking mechanism 38 is positioned on the coating liquid tank 33 by rotating the drum 20 over a degree. When this happens, the lifting arm of the lifting mechanism 31
35 is lowered and the drum 20 is immersed in the coating liquid in the coating liquid tank 33. When almost the entire drum 20 is immersed in the coating liquid, the elevating arm 35 is raised and the drum 20 is withdrawn from the coating liquid. Next, the rotating mechanism 37 rotates the elevating device 31 in the opposite direction over 90 degrees to position the drum 20 coated with the coating liquid on the drum mounting table 34. And
The elevating arm 35 is lowered so that the drum 20 is moved to the drum mounting table 34.
When placed on top, the drum 20 by the chucking mechanism 35
Is lifted and the lifting arm 35 is lifted. As a result, the one-cycle operation by the carry-in drum transfer device 30 is completed, and the rotation mechanism 37 moves the chucking mechanism 38.
Lifting mechanism to position the conveyor on the loading position of the conveyor 10.
Rotate 31 further through 90 degrees. This allows
Drum 20 already located on the loading position 11 of the conveyor 10
A chucking mechanism 38 is located above.

The carry-out transfer device 40 is constructed such that the chucking mechanism 38 after the completion of one cycle of the transfer process by the carry-in transfer device 30 is synchronized with the orbital movement of the chucking mechanism 38 to the upper position of the carry-in position 11.
The drum 45 is moved around and placed on the drum platform 34.
A chucking mechanism 38 is located on the 20. Then, thereafter, the elevating arm 45 of the carry-out transfer device 40 and the elevating arm 35 of the carry-in transfer device 30 are circularly moved in synchronization.

When the chucking mechanism in the carry-out transfer device 40 is positioned above the drum 20 on the drum mounting table 34, the elevating arm 45 is lowered, and the chucking mechanism causes the drum 20 to move.
Is chucked. At this time, in the carry-in transfer device 30, the drum on the carry-in position of the conveyor 10 is the chucking mechanism 38.
Is chucked by.

When the drum 20 is chucked in the carry-out transfer device 40, the elevating arm 45 is raised, and then the elevating arm 45 is circulated so that the drum 20 is positioned on the lower end processing mechanism 42. It At this time, the elevating arm 35 of the carry-in transfer device 30 is moved above the coating liquid tank 33, and the new drum 20 is positioned on the coating liquid tank 33.

In the carry-out transfer device 40, the lifting arm is then
45 is lowered, the lower end processing mechanism 42 performs lower end processing of the drum, and the coating liquid adhering to the lower end of the drum 20 is removed. At this time, the coating liquid is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the drum 20 in the carry-in transfer device 30. When the lower end processing is completed by the lower end processing mechanism 42, the elevating arm 45 moves the drum mounting table 34.
The drum 20 which has passed through the upper part of the conveyor 10 and is circulated to the carry-out position of the conveyor 10 and whose lower end has been processed is placed on the carry-out position 12 on the conveyor 10. As a result, the carry-out drum transfer device 40
One cycle of processing is completed, and thereafter, the same operation is sequentially repeated.

When the chucking mechanism 38 of the carry-in transfer machine 30 and the chucking mechanism of the carry-out drum transfer machine 40 are replaced when the diameter of the drum 20 is changed, the elevating arms 35 and 45 are The exchanging work is performed in a state in which the chucking mechanism has been moved to the exchanging positions 32 and 43 for rotation.

In the above embodiment, one chucking mechanism is provided at the tip of each elevating arm 35 and 45 to chuck one drum 20, but a plurality of chucking mechanisms are provided. The drums may be chucked.

[0027]

As described above, the drum transfer device of the present invention can transfer a drum and perform a predetermined process in a relatively narrow space. The setup of each processing step can be easily replaced, and the chucking mechanism can also be replaced in a large space.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a drum transfer device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a main part of the drum transfer device shown in FIG.

3A is a schematic side view showing an example of a conventional drum transfer device, and FIG. 3B is a plan view of the drum transfer device.

FIG. 4A is a schematic side view showing another example of a conventional drum transfer device, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of the drum transfer device.

5A is a schematic plan view showing another example of a conventional drum transfer device, and FIG. 5B is a side view of the drum transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Conveyor 20 Drum 30 Loading drum transfer machine 31 Lifting mechanism 33 Coating liquid tank 34 Drum platform 35 Lifting arm 38 Chucking mechanism 40 Unloading drum transferring machine 41 Lifting mechanism 42 Drum lower end processing mechanism 45 Lifting arm

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Toshihiko Nishiguchi 1-22 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaru Goto 1-2-2 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Engineering Within the corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A drum transfer device, which is disposed on a side of a linear conveyor that conveys a drum in a vertical state and is used to transfer the drum on the conveyor, in a horizontal state. Lifting mechanism that lifts the lifted arm that became
Each of the chucking mechanisms has a rotating mechanism for reciprocating the lifting arm in a horizontal plane and a chucking mechanism provided at the tip of the lifting arm for chucking the drum in a vertical state. A drum transfer device provided with a pair of drum transfer devices arranged side by side along the conveyor so that the areas of the chucking mechanism and the conveyor overlap each other at one location. ..