JP2501413Y2 - Drum end coating removal device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention eliminates the need for a drum end when manufacturing, for example, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having a photosensitive material coating film formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drum. Apparatus for removing a coating film on the end of a drum used for removing a large coating film.

(Prior Art) For example, a photosensitive drum used in an image forming apparatus is
A coating film of a photosensitive substance is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a drum such as an aluminum tube, and an image is formed on the coating film of the photosensitive substance. Such a photosensitive drum is manufactured, for example, by a dipping method. In the dipping method, a drum such as an aluminum tube is held in a substantially vertical state, the drum is dipped in a coating liquid containing a photosensitive substance, and the drum is pulled up from the coating liquid, thereby It forms a photosensitive coating film. In such an immersion method, a coating film is formed on the entire outer peripheral surface including the end portion of the drum. However, since the photosensitive drum needs to have a flange attached to its end, or the end needs to be conductively treated, the unnecessary coating film formed on the end is
It is removed in the coating film removing step after the dipping step.

In the coating film removing step, for example, the device shown in FIG. 2 is used. The coating film removing apparatus has a pedestal 91 attached to the bottom of a processing tank 90 containing a solvent S such as tetrahydrofuran capable of dissolving the coating film. A guide portion 92 is vertically attached to a central portion of the pedestal 91 with a fixing bolt 94, and a support member 93 is supported by the guide member 92 so as to be able to move up and down. A push spring 95 for constantly urging the support member 93 upward is interposed between the support member 93 and the pedestal 91. The support member 93 has a drum D, which has a coating film of a photosensitive material formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof and is held vertically in the upper portion.
Has a columnar head portion 93a into which the lower end portion D1 of the drum is fitted, and has a flange portion 93b in the lower portion, with which the lower end surface of the drum lower end portion D1 into which the head portion 93a is fitted engages.

In such a coating film removing apparatus, the support member 93 is normally in a standby state in which the collar portion 93b is urged by the pressing springs 95 and protrudes above the liquid surface S1 of the solvent S.
Then, in such a standby state, the drum D having the coating film of the photosensitive material formed on the outer peripheral surface is held vertically above the support member 93, and the drum D is opposed to the processing tank 90. The drum lower end portion D1 is externally fitted to the head portion 93 of the supporting member 93a, and the lower end portion thereof is engaged with the flange portion 93b. In this state, the drum D is pushed by the push spring 95.
It is further pushed down against the urging force of the
Is lowered together with the supporting member 93, and the lower end portion D1 of the drum is immersed in the solvent S. The lower end surface of the drum is a supporting member.
The drum D is repeatedly moved up and down relative to the processing tank 90 while being constantly engaged with the flange portion 93b of 93. As a result, the coating film on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion D1 of the drum D is removed.

At this time, the outer diameter of the head portion 93a of the support member 93 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the lower end portion D1 of the drum D,
When the head portion 93a is fitted in the lower end portion D1 of the drum D, a gap δ is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the head portion 93a and the inner peripheral surface of the drum lower end portion D1 so that the solvent S can be lifted by a capillary phenomenon. It is supposed to be done. Therefore, the solvent S
Unnecessary coating film adhered to the inner peripheral surface of the drum lower end D1 dipped in is removed by immersing the drum lower end D1 in the solvent S and moving it up and down relatively to the solvent S. It The drum D from which the unnecessary coating film has been removed is then raised relative to the processing tank 90 and pulled out of the solvent S.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) In such a coating film removing apparatus, since the ascending / descending operation is repeated several tens of times with respect to one drum D, the end D1 of the new drum is above the liquid surface S1. When the flange portion 93b of the support member 93 protruding in the direction is engaged, the solvent attached to the drum end portion D1 in the previous coating film removing operation may form a liquid film between the drum end surface and the flange portion 93b. . When this liquid film bursts, the solvent scatters, and the scattered liquid solution adheres to the coating film of the drum D that does not need to be removed, impairing the photosensitive characteristics of the coating film. When the drum D is pulled up from the solvent S,
The solvent may drop from the end D1 onto the support member 93 or the liquid surface S1, and the same may occur due to the solvent popping and bouncing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is a coating film that does not need to be removed by the solvent even when the solvent is repelled at the drum end or dropped from the drum end. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for removing a coating film on the end portion of a drum, which is free from the possibility of being adhered to and adversely affecting.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The apparatus for removing a coating film at the end of a drum of the present invention is to remove the coating film at the end portion of a drum having a coating film formed on its peripheral surface into a solvent capable of dissolving the coating film. A coating film removing device for immersing and removing a drum end, which is arranged so as to be capable of moving up and down with respect to the solvent in a processing tank containing the solvent, and is provided on a lower end surface of a vertical drum. A support member that engages and immerses the lower end of the drum in a solvent, and is provided so as to be horizontally movable along the bottom surface of the processing tank. When the lower end of the drum is engaged with the support member, the drum and the support are supported. A pedestal that moves horizontally together with the support member in order to match the shaft center with the member, and a cylindrical shape that is externally fitted to the support member so as to cover the lower end portion of the drum, and the inner peripheral surface of the lower end opening is The cover that slides up and down with the support member slides on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the drum to be removed. And a bar member, which achieves the above object.

(Operation) According to this configuration, when the drum end is pulled up from the liquid surface, the dissolved liquid adhering to the outer peripheral surface thereof is rubbed against the cover member to be forcibly removed, and the drum is repeatedly immersed in the solvent. The solution that has adhered to the edge during the previous immersion is less likely to remain. Therefore, when the drum end is engaged with the flange of the support member, a liquid film of the dissolving liquid is less likely to be formed between the drum end surface and the flange of the support member. And even if such a liquid film is formed and then bursts,
The scattered solution is received by the cover member and prevented from adhering to the effective coating film.

Also, when the drum end is pulled up from the liquid surface of the solvent, and if the dissolved liquid falls from the end, the dissolved liquid is caught by the cover member and adheres to the effective coating film of the drum or is supported by the support member. And will not fall onto the liquid surface.

(Example) Below, this invention is demonstrated about an Example.

The coating film removing device at the end of the drum of the present invention is used, for example, when manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive drum in which a coating film of a photosensitive material is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drum. As shown in FIG. 1, the coating film removing device at the end of the drum is disposed in a processing tank containing a solvent such as tetrahydrofuran capable of dissolving the coating film of the photosensitive substance formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drum. It has a pedestal 20 arranged on a horizontal slide surface 10 which is the bottom surface of the processing tank. The slide surface 10 is, for example, mirror-finished.

The pedestal 20 has, for example, a thin disc shape, and is slidably mounted on the slide surface 10. The pedestal
The lower surface of the sliding surface 10 that contacts the sliding surface 10 is, for example, mirror-finished like the sliding surface 10 so as to have a low friction state with the sliding surface 10. The upper surface of the outer peripheral portion of the pedestal 20 is curved in an arc shape.

A cylindrical guide member 30 is vertically attached to a central portion of the pedestal 20 by a fixing bolt 40 that passes through an axial center portion thereof. A flange 31 is provided on the upper portion of the guide member 30. The fixing bolt 40 is screwed into the screw hole 21 at the center of the pedestal 20. The fixing bolt 40 has its head
The guide member 30 is pressed by 41 to fix the guide member 30 to the pedestal 20.

A support member 50 is supported by the guide member 30.
The support member 50 has a substantially hemispherical head portion 51 protruding upward and a flange portion 52 protruding outward from the head portion 51 at the lower portion. The head portion 51 has a hemispherical shape, and thus has a circular shape in plan view. The support member 50
A vertical through hole 53 is formed in the axial center portion of the. The upper portion of the through hole 53 has a larger diameter than that of the lower portion, and therefore, a step portion 54 is formed in the connecting portion between the upper portion and the lower portion. The through hole 53 is fitted onto the guide member 30 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, so that the entire supporting member 50 can be moved up and down with respect to the guide member 30. The step portion 54 formed in the through hole 53 is located below the flange 31 at the upper end of the guide member 30.

The lower surface of the supporting member 50 is located above the upper surface of the pedestal 20, and four springs that are recessed downward are opened at four equally spaced circumferential positions in the lower portion of the supporting member 50. A receiving portion 55 is provided. The upper ends of the push springs 60 are fitted into the spring receiving portions 55, respectively. Each pressing spring 60 is in contact with the upper surface of the pedestal 20, and the supporting member 50 is pressed upward by each pressing spring 60. The step portion 54 in the through hole 53 of the support member 50 contacts the flange 31 of the guide member 30 to prevent the support member 50 from coming off. In such a state, the lower portion of the support member 50 The flange portion 52 provided on the upper part of the solvent S projects above the liquid surface S1 of the solvent S.

The guide member 30 and the through hole 53 of the support member 50 fitted to the guide member 30 have almost no play, and the gap between them is 0.1 mm or less. Therefore, the support member 50
However, when the support member 50 is moved downward against the biasing force of the push spring 60, the support member 50 does not substantially tilt with respect to the guide member 30.

The head portion 51 of the support member 50 is preferably made of a material having excellent surface smoothness such as Teflon resin or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene resin.

A tubular cover member 70 is fitted to the support member 50. The cover member 70 has a funnel shape in which the lower portion is gradually reduced in diameter as it goes downward, and the upper portion has a right cylindrical shape. The lower end of the cover member 70 is located at a height substantially equal to the liquid surface S1 of the solvent S, and the inner peripheral surface of the lower end opening is
When the support member 50 is biased upward by the push springs 60, the support member 50 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 52 of the support member 50. Then, when the supporting member is lowered while the drum D is placed on the flange 52, the inner peripheral surface of the lower end opening of the cover member 70 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end D1 of the drum D. It is designed to be able to slide on the coating film.

The cover member is formed of a soft material such as a soft Teflon resin or a high molecular weight polyethylene resin, and is flexible enough not to scratch the outer peripheral surface of the drum D even if the outer peripheral surface is directly slid. are doing.

The operation of the coating film removing device at the end of the drum of the present invention having such a structure is as follows.

For example, a drum D having a coating film formed on its outer peripheral surface by a dipping method is held substantially vertically above the support member 50, and the head portion 51 of the support member 50 is provided inside the lower end portion D1 of the drum D. In order to fit in, it is lowered relative to the processing tank. At this time, the lower end portion D1 of the drum D may not be accurately fitted to the head portion 51 of the support member 50, and the lower end surface of the drum D may abut on the spherical upper surface of the head portion 51 (in this case). The state of the head portion 51 is shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. As a result, the support member 50 is pressed by the descending drum D and receives a downward external force. However, since the upper surface of the support member 50 receiving the force is spherical, the support member 50 is pressed downward. Part of the force exerted by the supporting member 50 is the hemispherical head of the supporting member 50.
Press 51 toward its center. The force applied toward the center of the hemispherical head portion 51 is substantially horizontal. Since the support member 50 is in a state of not substantially tilting with respect to the guide member 30, the force applied to the support member 50 in a substantially horizontal state is also applied to the pedestal 20 via the guide member 30. ,
It joins in a substantially horizontal shape. Since the pedestal 20 is mounted on the mirror-finished slide surface 10 in a very low friction state,
When receiving such an external force in a substantially horizontal direction, the sliding surface 10
The top is easily slid, for example, in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1, so that the support member 50 moves horizontally together with the pedestal 20 from the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1 to the position indicated by the solid line. As a result, the axis of the supporting member 50 coincides with the axis of the drum D. As a result, the head portion 51 of the support member 50 is smoothly fitted into the lower end portion D1 of the drum D, and the lower end surface of the drum D is engaged with the flange portion 52. At this time, the support member 50 is
Because it is only moved horizontally, the support member 50
Is not likely to splash upward, and therefore the solvent S is not likely to splash. Further, even if the solvent splashes, the drum D is still covered with the cover member 70, so that the splashed solvent is covered by the cover member 70.
There is no possibility of being attached to the outer peripheral surface of the drum D by being blocked by.

When the head portion 51 is made of a fluororesin or the like having excellent surface smoothness, the head portion 51 is the lower end portion of the drum D.
It fits into D1 more smoothly, and the splash of solvent is prevented more reliably.

In such a state, the drum D is lowered relative to the processing tank, and the support member 50 is lowered together with the drum D while being guided by the guide member 30 against the biasing force of the pressing spring 60. Thus, the lower end D1 of the drum D is immersed in the solvent S. Then, the lower end surface of the drum D is supported by the support member 50.
Ascending and descending are repeated with the collar portion 52 always engaged. As a result, the drum lower end portion D1 is moved up and down in the solvent, and the coating film on the drum lower end portion D1 is dissolved and removed.

Even if the solvent jumps up when the drum D is raised or lowered, the cover member 70 prevents the splashed solvent from adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the drum. Moreover, since the outer peripheral surface of the drum lower end portion D1 where the coating film should be removed is brought into sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the lower end opening of the cover member 70 when the drum D is moved up and down, the coating film on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion D1 of the drum is surely secured. To be removed.

When the drum D is pulled up from the solvent S after the coating film removing process of the lower end portion D1 of the drum D is completed, the axis of the supporting member 50 is in a state of being coincident with the axis of the drum D. Rises together with the drum D. At this time,
If a solvent exists between the lower end surface of the drum and the flange portion 52 of the support member 50, and a liquid film of the solvent is formed when the drum is raised, and the liquid film bursts, the solvent S splashes, The cover member 70 prevents the splash of the solvent from adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the drum D.

(Effect of the device) The coating film removing device at the drum end of the present invention is
When the vertical drum is lowered because it has a pedestal that moves horizontally, the pedestal moves horizontally with the support member even if the drum and the support member are in an eccentric state where the axes do not match, The drum can be smoothly fitted to the support member in the vertical state. Therefore, since the drum does not move in the horizontal direction and the support member does not jump upward, the jump of the solvent can be prevented.
Further, when pulling up the drum from the solvent, since the axes of the drum and the supporting member are aligned, when the drum is separated from the supporting member, there is no horizontal movement of the drum,
Further, since the supporting member does not return to the original eccentric state and does not displace, the splashing of the solvent can be prevented. Further, since the portion of the drum where the coating film does not need to be removed is covered by the cover member, there is no risk of splashing from the solvent adhering to the coating film of the drum, and there is no risk of adversely affecting the coating film of the drum. Moreover, since the coating film to be removed is scraped off by the cover member, the unnecessary coating film can be reliably removed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a drum end coating film removing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a conventional drum end coating film removing apparatus. 10 ... Sliding surface, 20 ... Pedestal, 30 ... Guide member, 50 ... Supporting member, 51 ... Head part, 52 ... Collar part, 60 ... Push spring, 70 ... Cover member, D ... Drum, D1 ... Drum end part, S …solvent.

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A device for removing a coating film at the end of a drum, which comprises immersing a coating film at an end portion of a drum having a coating film formed on a peripheral surface thereof in a solvent capable of dissolving the coating film to remove the coating film. A support member that is arranged so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the solvent in the processing tank containing the solvent, and that engages with a lower end surface of a vertical drum to immerse the lower end portion of the drum in the solvent. Provided so as to be horizontally movable along the bottom surface of the processing tank, and horizontally moved together with the supporting member so that the axes of the drum and the supporting member are aligned when the lower end of the drum is engaged with the supporting member. A pedestal and a cylindrical shape that is fitted onto the supporting member so as to cover the lower end portion of the drum, and the inner peripheral surface of the lower end opening portion is an outer periphery where the coating film on the lower end portion of the drum that moves up and down together with the supporting member should be removed. A cover member that is in sliding contact with the surface, and a coating film removing device at the end of the drum.