JPH0962015A - Method for manufacturing electrophotographic photoreceptor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) An object of the present invention is to reliably and cleanly remove a photosensitive layer coating film on a peripheral surface of an end portion of a cylindrical support, and to economically and efficiently remove the coating film. It can be done as prescribed. SOLUTION: A cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 is rotated about an axis thereof in a direction of an arrow by a motor (not shown), and a plurality of spunlace acrylic fiber nonwoven fabrics separately wound around a supply tape reel 2 are used as a base. While supplying the tape 3 (or the melt-processed non-woven fabric tape) obtained by laminating and melting the sheets in a dot shape by ultrasonic waves so as to contain the solvent 9 of the coating film from the solvent supply nozzle 8 in the tape 3, The coating film to be a non-coating film forming portion is dissolved and removed by pressing and moving to the peripheral surface of one end portion in the axial direction of 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing a photoconductor for electrophotography, and more particularly, to a cylindrical electrophotography having a photosensitive layer coating film mainly formed of an organic material, which is deposited on a cylindrical conductive support. It relates to a manufacturing method for removing the photosensitive layer on the edge of the support of the photoreceptor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an electrophotographic photoreceptor (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a photoreceptor), an inorganic type photoconductive material such as selenium, selenium alloy, zinc oxide or cadmium sulfide is used as a photosensitive material. Photoreceptors have been widely used. On the other hand, an organic photoreceptor made of an organic material using an organic photoconductive substance has been developed and put to practical use, focusing on advantages such as flexibility, thermal stability, film forming property, and low cost. . Despite the advantages described above, this organic photoconductor has not been widely used because it is inferior to the inorganic photoconductor in terms of sensitivity, stability of characteristics, and durability, but in recent years, it has been excellent in charging property and sensitivity. With the development of the photoconductor materials possessed by it, the number of organic photoconductors formed by the dip coating method, which is excellent in mass productivity and can be produced at low cost, is increasing compared to other film forming methods such as spray coating and wire bar. .

[0003]

A cylindrical photoreceptor is used in a copying machine, a laser printer, etc.
Due to the mechanism of a copying machine or a laser printer, it may be necessary to bring a rotating roller or the like into contact with the peripheral surface of the end portion of the photoconductor. In such a case, when contact is made from above the coating film of the photosensitive layer formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor, the contact often causes cracks or peeling of the coating film. In such a case, it is necessary that the photosensitive layer coating film is not provided on the peripheral surface of the end portion of the photosensitive member in order to prevent shaving and peeling.

However, by the above-mentioned dip coating method,
When forming a photosensitive layer coating on a cylindrical support made of metal such as aluminum or a resin that has been subjected to conductive treatment, one end of the support is supported by a chuck terminal provided in the vertical movement mechanism of the support. Hold the cylindrical axis of the body perpendicular to the surface of the coating liquid, and apply dip coating to form the photosensitive layer coating film.
The coating film will adhere to the end of at least one of the supports. Therefore, in order to form the uncoated portion on the peripheral surface portions of both ends of the support, the coating film must be partially removed after forming the photosensitive layer coating film.

Until now, various methods have been tried for forming such an uncoated portion. For example, a method of peeling with a metal or resin brush dipped in the solvent used for the photosensitive layer coating solution (JP-A-60-97361). A method in which a flexible plate of polytetrafluoroethylene is applied to the uncoated portion at the end of the support and the support is rotated to remove it (JP-A-60-170858). Also, a method of peeling by applying a cleaning tape impregnated with a solvent that dissolves the photosensitive layer to the end of the support while moving it in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the support (JP-A-60-192951). Furthermore, a method of using a tape having a twill weave structure of acrylic fiber as a peeling tape (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 613867)
0)

In the method using a brush described in the above-mentioned JP-A-60-97361, the boundary edge of the uncoated portion may not be clean, or the support may be scratched. JP 60
In the method using the resin plate described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 170858, the coating film of the photosensitive layer may not be uniformly peeled off and may be uneven. Further, in the method using the cleaning tape described in JP-A-60-192951, the boundary between uncoated portions may not be cleaned depending on the material of the cleaning tape. Furthermore, in the method using a tape having a twill weave structure of acrylic fiber described in JP-A-6138670, the surface of the tape is fluffed in order to accurately remove the boundary of the uncoated portion over a certain width. In addition to the cost of materials becoming too high, it was not always good enough in terms of finish.

It has been found that a spunlace nonwoven fabric tape using acrylic fiber as a cleaning tape for solving these problems has excellent wiping performance. However, this non-woven tape has elongation in the length direction due to the expansion and contraction of fibers, and the width direction of the tape shrinks with this expansion, and the width of the uncoated portion decreases in proportion to the amount of shrinkage. As a result, it has been found that there is a problem that a predetermined uncoated portion width cannot be obtained according to a predetermined dimension.

The present invention provides a method capable of reliably and cleanly removing the photosensitive layer coating film on the peripheral surface of the end portion of the cylindrical support, peeling it economically and efficiently, and making the width dimension of the uncoated portion predetermined. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member containing the same.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are solved by forming a photosensitive layer coating film on a cylindrical conductive substrate and then applying a solvent for dissolving the coating film on the peripheral surface of the substrate end portion. In a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, which comprises removing the contained cleaning tape while moving it under pressure, an electrophotographic photosensitive material using a laminated nonwoven fabric formed by laminating and fusing a plurality of nonwoven fabrics as a cleaning tape. This is solved by using a body manufacturing method. Further, as the cleaning tape, it is desirable to use a laminated non-woven tape formed by laminating and fusing one or more pin-shaped ultrasonic terminals to form a fusion spot per 100 mm ² . It is also desirable to use a spunlace non-woven tape using acrylic fiber as the cleaning tape. Further, the peripheral speed of the photoconductor is 1. ~ 30cm / sec, tape moving speed is 1 ~
It is desirable to remove the coating film while moving the cleaning tape under pressure at 10 cm / sec onto the peripheral surface of the end portion of the substrate.

Further, as the cleaning tape, it is desirable that the above-mentioned spunlace non-woven tape using acrylic fibers is mixed with molten fibers and heat-bonded to reduce the expansion / contraction rate and increase the tensile strength. Next, the operation will be described. This invention is, on the end peripheral surface of a cylindrical conductive support comprising a photosensitive layer formed to the end by dip coating,
In the coating film removing step for forming an uncoated film forming portion after forming the photosensitive layer coating film, a non-woven fabric tape made of a so-called spunlace method in which ultrafine short fibers such as acrylic are entangled by hydraulic force in a cleaning tape is used. Is.
Moreover, in order to increase the tensile strength of the tape and reduce the degree of expansion and contraction, it has been found that the tensile strength is further increased when the tape is formed by ultrasonically laminating a plurality of non-woven fabrics in a dot-like manner and laminating and fusing, As a result, it was found that even when tension was applied to the tape, dimensional change was less likely to occur in the shape of the tape. Furthermore, since the spot-shaped fused portions are concaved and irregularities are formed on the surface of the tape, there is a preferable effect on the wiping performance of the coating film.

Since the non-woven tape made of the spunlace method is mixed with the heat-sealing fibers, the tensile strength is high,
A tape with a small expansion / contraction rate can be obtained.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. First, regarding the manufacturing method of the present invention,
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an end removing device for a photosensitive layer coating film using a laminated nonwoven fabric tape or a fusion bonding nonwoven fabric tape used in the manufacturing method of the present invention. The cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 is rotated about its axis in the direction of the arrow by a motor (not shown). A tape 3 (or a melt-processed non-woven fabric tape) obtained by laminating a plurality of spunlaced acrylic fiber non-woven fabrics separately wound around a supply tape reel 2 in a dot shape by ultrasonic waves is used as a solvent 9 for a coating film. While being supplied so as to be contained in the tape 3 from the solvent supply nozzle 8, the film is moved in pressure contact with one end peripheral surface of the photoconductor 1 in the axial direction to dissolve and remove the coating film to be an uncoated film forming portion. To do. The tape 3 from which the coating film has been removed is taken up by the take-up reel 4. The tape between the supply and take-up tape reels 2 and 4 and the photoconductor 1 is composed of a tape tension adjusting core 5, a tape feed drive core 6, and a tape pressing core 7 for applying an appropriate tension to the tape. It has been subjected. When the photoconductor 1 is rotated in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the tape 3, the efficiency of removing the coating film is improved. The peripheral speed of the photoconductor 1 is 1 to 30 cm /
Optimum conditions can be selected depending on the material of the coating film, since the moving speed of the tape 3 is 1 to 10 cm / sec.

Preparation of Photoreceptor Sample A for Electrophotography A polyamide resin (“Amilan CM8000” manufactured by Toray Co., Ltd.) 4 which was prepared by holding one axial end of a cylindrical aluminum alloy drum having a diameter of 30 mm and making it vertical. .5
Part by dipping and coating in a coating liquid tank in which 150 parts of methanol is dissolved, and then dried at a temperature of 90 ° C. for 20 minutes to obtain a film thickness of 0.2.
An undercoat layer of μm was provided.

Next, 2 parts of a disazo pigment having the following chemical formula [Chemical formula 1] as a charge generation layer, 2 parts of a polyester resin (“Vylon 200” manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.) as a binder resin, and 90 parts of cyclohexanone were mixed, and mixed with a sand grinder. Time dispersed. To this dispersion liquid, 60 parts of tetrahydrofuran was added to dilute it to obtain a coating liquid, and the drum on which the undercoat layer had been formed was dip coated while holding one end as in the case of coating the undercoat layer. After coating, the temperature was 90 ° C. And dried for 20 minutes to form a charge generation layer having a thickness of 0.4 μm.

Next, 1.5 parts of an indole compound represented by the following structural formula [Chemical formula 2] as a charge-transporting substance and the following [Chemical formula 3]
1.5 parts of the benzidine processed product of the structural formula is dissolved in 30 parts of tetrahydrofuran together with 3 parts of bisphenol Z type polycarbonate resin (number average molecular weight of 50,000) as a binder resin to prepare a coating solution, and this solution is dipped on the charge generation layer. The coating was applied to form a charge transport layer having a dry thickness of 20 μm.

[0016]

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[0017]

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[0018]

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Preparation of Electrophotographic Photoreceptor Sample B A cylindrical aluminum alloy drum having a diameter of 30 mm was held vertically to hold 100 parts of a melamine resin (Mitsui Toatsu: trade name Uban 62) and phthalic anhydride. 20 copies,
A coating solution was prepared by using 126 parts of a mixed solvent of 6 parts of iodine and 1: 1 parts by weight of xylene and butanol to prepare an undercoat layer of 15 μm.

Next, on the drum provided with the above-mentioned undercoat layer,
X-type metal-free phthalocyanine (manufactured by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals:
1 part by weight of product name "First Gane Blue 8120B", vinyl chloride-based copolymer resin (manufactured by Zeon Corporation: product name "MR-
110 ") and 1 part by weight of 100 parts of methylene chloride were applied by dip coating using a coating solution dispersed in a paint shaker to form a charge generation layer having a dry thickness of 0.2 µm.

Then, a polycarbonate resin (manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Ltd .: trade name "Iupilon PCZ-30" is added on top of this.
0 ") 10 parts by weight and 10 parts by weight of N, N diethylaminobenzaldehyde diphenylhydrazone are applied by dip coating using a coating solution prepared by dissolving 80 parts by weight of tetrahydrofuran.
A charge transport layer having a dry thickness of 20 μm was formed. The photosensitive layer coating films of the cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member samples A and B thus formed have an uncoated film forming portion at the upper end portion on the holding portion side of the drum during dip coating, but the other end ( The lower end) side is in a state where it is entirely covered with the photosensitive layer coating film. In order to form an uncoated film forming portion on the other end side, in a device shown in FIG. 1 for carrying out the manufacturing method of the present invention, a sheet of ultra-porous acrylic fiber as a cleaning tape is made by a paper making machine, Two pieces of non-woven fabric formed by the spunlace method in which surface fibers are entangled while being divided by high-pressure water, are fused at one or more points / 100 cm ^{2 at} multiple points with a pin-shaped ultrasonic terminal and pulled. A laminated non-woven tape (Example 1), which has increased strength and whose wiping ability is not lowered, is mixed with a heat-sealing fiber made of polyester fiber to form a non-woven sheet by a spunlace method, and then heated to heat-melt the fiber. Heat-bonded non-woven fabric tape (Example 2)
As a comparative example, a spunlace nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of 25 g /
A spunbonded non-woven tape of m ² having a tensile strength increased by lining (comparative example 1) and a single-layer spunlaced non-woven tape (comparative example 2) were used, each having a thickness of 0.5 mm and a width of 2 It is processed into a tape shape of 0.0 cm, and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum sample A for forming an uncoated film and then B are set, and dichloromethane is used as a solvent for the photosensitive members A and B, respectively, and Peripheral speed 1-30 cm
/ Sec, the tape moving speed was 1 to 10 cm / sec, and the condition of removing the coating film was confirmed by shaking the conditions as appropriate.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the laminated nonwoven tape produced by the spunlace method according to the present invention is used (Example 1)
In the case of the heat-bonding non-woven tape (Example 2), the tape length required for wiping is small, the boundary of the uncoated film forming part is clean, and almost no swelling of the coating film is found on the boundary of the coating film side. I couldn't do it. In Example 1, it was confirmed that the tensile strength was sufficient if there were at least one fusion spot by ultrasonic waves / 100 cm ² . In each case, the tape used had a thickness of 0.5 mm and a width of 2.0 cm.
Even if the width is made wider and the tensile strength is increased, the degree of removal of the coating film is not affected, but it is costly and 3.0 cm or less is sufficient. Further, if it is narrow, the strength is insufficient, so 1.0 cm or more is necessary. The thickness needs to be 0.3 mm or more in view of the absorption capacity of the solution, and if it is 2.0 mm or more, the absorption capacity is too large and the coating film is adversely affected. Tape speed 10 cm
If it is above / sec, the tape consumption is too large and the economy is poor.
Similarly, at 1 cm / sec, the tape is too slow and the ability to remove the coating film is insufficient. If the peripheral speed of the drum is 1 cm / sec or less, it is too slow and inefficient, and if it is higher than 30 cm / sec, the finished state of the boundary line is often poor. Further, the removal time is required to be at least 5 seconds or more, but the completion time is about 5 to 20 seconds, depending on the material of the coating film. If the length is longer than this, not only is the economy poor, but the finish is often poor.

In this experiment, acrylic fibers were used as the fibers of the nonwoven fabric of the present invention, but other fibers can be applied as long as they are fibers suitable for the spunlace method. Also,
In addition to the above-mentioned solvents as the photoconductor sample A and B cosolvents, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane can be used as other solvents. However, in the case of the photoconductor B, the undercoating layer is 20 ° C. at 90 ° C. after forming the coating film of this undercoating layer.
It was necessary to remove twice, for example, by applying dichloromethane as a solvent to the same coating film removing device in advance before drying for a minute, and then removing after applying the charge generating layer and the charge transporting layer.

From these results, as shown in Table 1, as a cleaning tape, the non-woven fabric tape obtained by mixing the heat-sealing fibers of the second embodiment was wiped off like the non-woven tape of the spun lace method laminated and fused in the first embodiment. It can be seen that good results are obtained from the viewpoints of properties, wiping appearance, and tape shrinkage.

[0024]

[Table 1] (○: good, △: somewhat good, ×: bad)

[0025]

According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, after a photosensitive layer coating film is formed on a cylindrical conductive substrate, a cleaning tape containing a solvent for the coating film on the peripheral surface of one of the substrate ends is used. In a method for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor including removing while moving under pressure, a laminated nonwoven fabric tape made of a spunlace method or a laminated nonwoven fabric tape made of a spunlace method is mixed as a cleaning tape with a heat-sealing fiber to increase tensile strength. Since the elevated tape is used, the photosensitive layer coating film on the peripheral surface of the end portion of the cylindrical support can be reliably and cleanly removed, and the peeling can be performed economically and efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an apparatus for a photoconductor manufacturing method according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cylindrical Electrophotographic Photoreceptor 2 Supply Tape Reel 3 Nonwoven Tape 4 Winding Tape 5 Tension Adjusting Core 6 Tape Feed Drive Core 7 Tape Press Core 8 Solvent Supply Nozzle 9 Solvent for Coating Film

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hidetaka Yahagi 1-1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive layer coating film is formed on a cylindrical conductive substrate, and a cleaning tape made of a non-woven fabric made by a spunlace method is pressed onto the peripheral surface of the substrate end portion while containing a coating film-soluble solvent. A method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor, which comprises moving to remove a photosensitive layer coating film and providing an uncoated layer forming portion, wherein a cleaning tape is formed by laminating and fusing a plurality of nonwoven fabrics. And a method for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor. 2. A photosensitive layer coating film is formed on a cylindrical conductive substrate, and then a cleaning tape made of a non-woven fabric made by a spunlace method is pressed onto the peripheral surface of the substrate while containing a coating film-soluble solvent. Move to remove the photosensitive layer coating,
A method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member including providing an uncoated portion, wherein a spunlace non-woven fabric in which a heat-sealing fiber is mixed with a cleaning tape is used. Method. 3. The method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a spunlace non-woven fabric tape using acrylic fiber is used as the cleaning tape laminated and fused. 4. 100 as tape for laminating and fusing
The method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a laminated nonwoven fabric tape having one or more ultrasonic fusion spots formed per mm ² is used. , 5. The coating film is removed while pressing the cleaning tape onto the peripheral surface of the substrate at a peripheral speed of the photoreceptor of 1.0 to 30 cm / sec and a moving speed of the tape of 1 to 10 cm / sec. The method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein