JPS6375780A - Manufacture of cylindrical organic photosensitive body and its device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Objective of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention provides a method for manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor used as a component of electrophotographic copying machines, laser printers, etc. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor, which improves the method of coating an organic photoreceptor material on a cylindrical support, and an apparatus therefor.

(Prior Art) In general, a cylindrical organic photoreceptor used as a component part of an electrophotographic copying machine or a laser printer has a layer 41 of an organic charge-generating material on a cylindrical support, and a charge-transporting material layer. A shallow type with a material layer is widely used.

By the way, it is desired that the photosensitive material layer on the support be formed to a smooth, uniform, and predetermined thickness, and conventional methods for forming the layer include inorganic photosensitive materials made of Se, Si, Cd, and compounds thereof. , for example, Tokuko Sho 5
It is manufactured using methods such as vacuum evaporation, sputtering, and ion blasting as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7-27839. However, these cannot be applied to organic photosensitive materials. Regarding organic photosensitive materials, for example, JP-A-52-1
Publication No. 28372.

Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 1153-111735 1% 1987-10
Although there are various coating methods shown in Japanese Patent No. 738, satisfactory results have not been obtained for the cylindrical support in terms of nine quality functions.

Typically, a composite cylindrical organic photoreceptor has a charge generating material layer with a thickness of about 1 μm or less and a layer of charge generating material with a thickness of about 20 μm coated thereon.
Currently, the cylindrical support is immersed in a liquid bath of a photosensitive material in the general atmosphere.
This is done using the immersion method, which involves raising the liquid while keeping it stationary. However, when uniform and homogeneous thin film formation is desired, such methods tend to cause bubbles and uneven coating during film formation, resulting in partial deterioration of characteristics due to deterioration of quality 9 functions. In particular, when forming an ultra-thin film with a thickness of 1 μm or less, the surface condition (surface roughness) of the workpiece is particularly important.

Defects are likely to occur due to scratches, dirt, etc.) and vibrations during lifting. Among these, it is extremely difficult to eliminate bubbles generated during film formation.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention has been made in consideration of the various problems that occur when coating an organic photosensitive material on a cylindrical support as described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor and an apparatus therefor, in which a smooth and uniform organic photoreceptor layer of a predetermined thickness can be easily formed on the body.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means and actions for solving the problem) After storing the cylindrical support in a closed space and immersing it in the coating solution under reduced pressure,
By relatively lifting the cylindrical support from the coating solution under pressure, a coating film with a uniform thickness and no coating defects is formed.

(Example) Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows =yet used in the method for manufacturing the cylindrical organic photoreceptor of this example. This device includes a storage part (2) that holds and stores a cylindrical support (1) to which an organic photoreceptor material is applied so that its axis is perpendicular, and an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support (1). A supply/exhaust section (4) for supplying and exhausting air to and from a closed space (3) formed by the inner peripheral surface of the housing section (2), and a coating liquid (5) made of the organic photoreceptor material in the closed space (3). ) and a coating liquid supply section (6) that supplies the liquid (
3) a cleaning liquid supply section (8) that supplies a cleaning liquid (7) for cleaning the surface of the cylindrical support (1). Therefore, the storage part (2) has a cylindrical base (9
), a transparent glass tube coaxially installed on this base (9), a cylindrical lid (11) that closes the upper end of this transparent glass tube 4, and a center of the base (9). A first clamping body a is formed with a conical part α2, which is provided at the bottom of the cylindrical support body (1) and into which the lower end of the cylindrical support body (1) is inserted, and a cylindrical support body +
1) A conical part I is formed into which the upper end is inserted, and it consists of a first clamping body a4 and a second clamping body a9 that clamps the cylindrical support (1). When the cylindrical support (1) is supported by these first and second clamping bodies (13, (15), the closed space (3) is filled with outside air and the cylindrical support (15).
1) Completely sealed from the inside.

On the other hand, the air supply/exhaust section (4) is connected to the closed space (3) via the lid I.
), a vacuum source αη connected to this air pipe αe, and an air pipe Oe connected to the same vacuum source αη.
The compressed air source α stage is connected to the compressed air source α stage. Also,
The coating liquid supply section (6) is connected to the closed space (
3) Coating liquid inlet/outlet pipe l and this coating liquid inlet/outlet pipe α
A coating liquid source (a) connected to It consists of a recovery tank to recover the over-70% liquid. In addition, the cleaning liquid supply section (6)
It consists of a cleaning liquid inlet/output pipe CI'31 that opens into the closed space (3) via the base (9), and a cleaning liquid source 241 connected to this cleaning liquid inlet/outlet pipe (c).

Next, a method for manufacturing the cylindrical organic photoreceptor of this example will be described using the apparatus configured as described above.

In the manufacturing method of this example, the cylindrical support (1) is
2) and supplying the cleaning liquid (7) from the cleaning liquid supply part (8) to the closed space (3) via the cleaning liquid inlet/output v4 and then discharging it to the cylindrical support body (1).
A cleaning process of cleaning the outer circumferential surface, and after the completion of this cleaning process, the coating liquid (5) is supplied from the coating liquid supply part (6) to the closed space (31 and then discharged, thereby cleaning the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical support (1). a thin film forming step of forming a cylindrical organic photoreceptor thin film;
After this thin film is formed, it is stored t! From 15(2) to the cylindrical support (
1) A take-out process for taking out the material. However,
In the above storage step, the planar support (1) is placed on the base (9) so that its axis is perpendicular, and the transparent glass tube (I (I)
The process of storing the transparent glass cylinder G (%) in the closed space (3 ).On the other hand, the cleaning process consists of a step of activating the vacuum source αη to reduce the pressure in the closed space (3) via the air pipe σe, and a step of forming the closed space (3) under reduced pressure. There is a process in which the cleaning g source (2) is started to supply the cleaning liquid (until the force exceeds 70 -) through the cleaning liquid inlet/output pipe □□□, and after a certain period of time, the compressed air source aa is started to supply the air to the closed space ( 3)
This process consists of pressurizing the surface of the cleaning liquid (7) inside using air pressure and discharging the cleaning liquid (7) from the closed space (3) via the cleaning liquid inlet/output pipe. Furthermore, in the thin film forming process, the vacuum source U is activated and the air is passed through the air pipe α0 into the closed space (
3) The first step is to reduce the pressure, and the closed space under reduced pressure (
3) After starting the coating liquid source (1) and overflowing the coating liquid (5) through the coating liquid inlet/output pipe, stop supplying the coating liquid (5) from the coating liquid source (A) and vacuum. The third step is to increase the reduced pressure by the vacuum source (+7) and remove bubbles, the fourth step is to loosen the reduced pressure by the vacuum source αη and bring it to atmospheric pressure once, and to start the compressed air source instead of the vacuum source αη and open the air pipe αe. While pressurizing the surface of the coating liquid (5) by supplying compressed air to the closed space (3) through the coating liquid inlet/output pipe α], the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support (1) is completely covered. It consists of a fifth step of gradually discharging the coating ty (5) until it is exposed, and a sixth step of stopping the operation of the compressed air source u8 and bringing the closed space (3) to atmospheric pressure. Thus, in the second step, the foam-containing liquid containing air bubbles is collected under reduced pressure into the collection tank @ via the overflow liquid collection pipe Qυ. Further, at the same time, defoaming is performed in the second step as well as in the third step. Therefore, pinholes and coating blemishes do not occur in the formed thin film. Furthermore, since the fifth step is performed under pressure, the discharge speed of the coating liquid (5) can be controlled with high precision. Furthermore, liquid level vibration is almost eliminated, and a smooth coated surface with uniform film thickness can be obtained.

As described above, the method and apparatus for manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor of this example can reliably and easily form a smooth coating film with a uniform PLX thickness without causing coating defects such as pinholes or coating unevenness. Obtainable.

In the above examples, the cleaning liquid supply unit and the accompanying cleaning process are performed using a cylindrical support (
If +1 is used, it becomes unnecessary. Furthermore, in the fifth step of the thin film forming step, the cylindrical support (1) may be lifted vertically upward without lowering the coating liquid (5).

〔Effect of the invention〕

The method and apparatus for manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor of the present invention make it possible to reliably and easily obtain a smooth organic photoreceptor thin film with a uniform thickness without causing coating defects such as pinholes or coating blemishes. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a configuration diagram of an apparatus AT used in a method of manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor according to an embodiment of the present invention. (1) Two-part support, (21: Storage part. (3): Closed space, (4): Supply/exhaust part. (5): Coating liquid, (6): Coating liquid supply part. Agent: Patent attorney Noriyuki Noriyuki Yudo Takehana Kikuo

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Storing the cylindrical support in a closed space with its axis in a substantially vertical direction, and applying a coating liquid made of an organic photosensitive material from the bottom to the top of the cylindrical support while reducing the pressure in the closed space. is supplied into the closed space and the cylindrical support is immersed in the coating liquid, and compressed gas is supplied into the closed space and the cylindrical support is immersed in the coating liquid under a pressurized state. 1. A method for producing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor, comprising the steps of: pulling up the above-mentioned organic photoreceptor relative to the coating solution to form a coating film on the side surface of the cylindrical support. (2) a storage section having an airtight space for storing the cylindrical support with its axis in a substantially vertical direction; and an air supply/exhaust section for supplying and exhausting air to and from the airtight space at the upper part of the storage section;
An apparatus for manufacturing a cylindrical organic photoreceptor, comprising a coating liquid supply section that supplies and drains a coating liquid made of an organic photosensitive material to and from the closed space at a lower part of the storage section.