JP3742004B2 - Method for producing seamless endless member - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for producing a seamless endless flexible member. This seamless endless flexible member is related to the manufacture of members used in electrophotographic processes such as electrophotographic photosensitive members and transfer belts (hereinafter also referred to as electrophotographic photosensitive members). Therefore, it can be said that the present invention relates to a technique for manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member or the like.
[0002]
[Problems of the prior art]
A method of electrodepositing nickel (Ni) or the like on a cylindrical member mainly by electrocasting is conventionally known and has been conventionally performed.
[0003]
This method is intended to be electrodeposited so that the amount of adhesion on the surface (inner and outer surfaces) of a cylindrical object becomes thick in the prior art. In contrast, members used in an electronic copy Maputo process, although the point of electrocoating a cylindrical outer surface in common, to reduce the adhesion amount, absence of any irregularities or steps on the drum surface, for the purpose of smoothing Therefore, the smoothness of the surface which is incomparable with the conventional electroforming method is required.
[0004]
Therefore, in JP-A-7-48691, JP-A-2001-164394, etc., electric baths using different electrolytes are individually provided for electrodes having different shapes, and each electroforming method is performed. .
[0005]
However, in these manufacturing methods, it is difficult to produce endless members having different shapes in large quantities and / or at low cost by taking time to adjust each electrolyte solution.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to perform electroforming simultaneously on a plurality of seamless flexible endless members having different shapes. Another object of the present invention is to perform electrocasting on a flexible endless member with high accuracy.
[0007]
[Means for solving the problems]
The achievement of the object of the present invention to carry out different electroformings simultaneously and with high precision using a single electrolyte bath is achieved by satisfying the following requirements.
[0008]
That is, the invention according to claim 1 is a method for manufacturing a seamless flexible endless member, and in a method for manufacturing a seamless flexible endless member, two or more different molds are used in a single electrolytic process. the liquid, in different electrical casting conditions for each of the mold consists in performing electroforming simultaneously and, this time, suspended two or more different die surface area on one of the hangers (frame), and equipped with two or more rotary devices each hanger (frame), which is characterized in that variably controls the rotation condition of the mold individually, two or more molds with respect to each mold Two or more kinds of products can be manufactured at the same time by simultaneously performing electroforming under different electroforming conditions .
[0009]
According to claim 2 invention is characterized that you produced in one bath 1 Power first mold utilizing the electroforming method described above. By providing one power source for each bath (one electrolytic cell) and using one mold , the electrocasting conditions are appropriately selected by the method described in claim 1 to have a predetermined film thickness. it is possible to produce a seamless flexible endless member efficiently.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that , in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, two or more electrolytic cells for electroforming are arranged in a row, and current control is performed for each electrolytic cell.
[0011]
The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that , in the invention of any one of claims 1 to 3, a plurality of molds having different surface areas are simultaneously conveyed and the conveyance speed is variably controlled.
[0012]
The invention according to claim 5 is an apparatus for producing a seamless flexible endless member by the electroforming method, and has an electrolyte supply means for supplying a single electrolyte to a plurality of electrolytic cells. A hanger (frame) for suspending two or more types of molds is provided, and two or more rotating devices are mounted on each hanger (frame), and the rotation conditions are variably controlled individually for each mold. This is an apparatus for manufacturing a seamless flexible endless member.
[0014]
In the invention of any one of claims 1 to 5 , the following conditions can be added. For example, it is also possible to allow variably controlled with lifting speed to the different photoreceptor substrate die surface area can lift a plurality of simultaneously.
[0015]
Further, the electrolytic solution can be improved so that at least two electrolytic cells are provided for one stock cell, and the required flow rate of the electrolytic solution can be set from the stock cell to the individual electrolytic cell via a flow meter. At the same time, it is more preferable that the electrolyte be configured so that it can always be filtered by a stock tank and a two-stage filter.
[0016]
Similarly, if the position of the electrode can be changed, the operation and operation become easy.
[0017]
[Action]
In the present invention, by a single electrolyte, those different in the plurality of shape, at the same time, but has a feature in that it can electroforming to a desired thickness, which is due to current control of each electrode .
[0018]
That is, since the control the current of each electrode, be of different shapes, the size condition can be adjusted commensurate with is, in the electrolytic solution of one (single composition electrolytic bath of a single concentration), at the same time It becomes possible to produce electrocasts having the same or different film thickness.
[0019]
Embodiment
The present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0020]
The present invention is characterized in that, although a single electrolytic solution is used, different shapes can be electroformed simultaneously. As shown in the figure, two types of molds 5 and 6 having different shapes are hung using a hanging tool 12, and the respective steps are immersed in individual electrolytic cells 4 by a movable frame 10. And rotate with a separate rotary motor. In this case, the rotation speed is preferably 1 to 30 rpm, more preferably 4 to 8 rpm.
[0021]
The mold 5 and the mold 6 are immersed in an electrolytic cell, and after a few seconds, a predetermined current corresponding to the surface area of the mold to be individually processed is supplied from the power supply apparatus 1 to form a nickel film on the mold surface.
[0022]
The film thickness of nickel can be adjusted steplessly according to the operating conditions because the electroforming time and current density can be selected as appropriate.
[0023]
In this case, the film thickness can be controlled particularly accurately by varying the distance of the electrode 8 . In order to electroform a complex shape, it is desirable that adjustment of the distance between the electrode position and the object to be processed is appropriate.
[0024]
As the liquid composition of the electrolytic solution, a known solution (bath) such as nickel sulfamate can be used.
[0025]
Various additives such as brighteners, pit inhibitors and pH adjusters can be added to the nickel plating bath. Such additive treatment enables efficient electroforming.
[0026]
The electrolyte solution is circulated and filtered by using the filter medium 3 constantly, and the filter mesh used for the filtration is preferably fine, and the mesh should adopt two or more steps with different sizes. Is desirable.
[0027]
At that time, circulation filtering of the electrolyte is necessary, and if it is not circulated, electrocast metal (for example, nickel) in the electrolyte will precipitate, and solid matter will be generated at the bottom and side walls of the bathtub. The circulation amount of the electrolytic solution can be adjusted by a known circulation means 11 such as a pump.
[0028]
As the electrocasting method, various conventionally known methods can be used as appropriate, but the nickel sulfamate electrocasting method is particularly preferable because a high-quality one can be obtained.
[0029]
The endless member of the present invention is seamless because its manufacturing method is based on an electroforming method. In addition to the base of an electrophotographic organic photoreceptor, the endless member of an image forming apparatus component such as a developing toner conveying sleeve is used. It can be used as a substrate.
[0030]
The form of the endless member of the present invention can be an appropriate form depending on the application.
[0031]
In the present invention, an electroforming method is used for the production of the endless member, and as the electrocasting method, various conventionally known methods can be appropriately used, and in particular, the nickel sulfamate electroforming method has a high quality. Is preferable from the point that can be obtained.
[0032]
Hereinafter, the case where the nickel sulfamate electroforming method is used will be described as an example.
[0033]
First, a nickel electroforming layer is formed on the surface of a mold by a nickel sulfamate electroforming method using a mold having a required shape.
[0034]
This electroformed layer has, as electroforming conditions, for example, the temperature of the electroforming liquid is 50 to 60 ° C., the electrodeposition current is 5 to 10 A / dm ² (dm means decimeter), and the electrodeposition time is 10 to 30 minutes. It can shape | mold by doing.
[0035]
The components of the nickel sulfamate solution used are nickel sulfamate 300 to 500 g / l, nickel chloride 40 to 60 g / l, boric acid 40 to 50 g / l, surfactant 5 to 15 ml / l, and saccharin sodium 100 to 150 ppm. be able to.
[0036]
In order to pull out the endless member from the mold after forming the endless member by the nickel sulfamate electroforming method, saccharin sodium is added because the formed electroformed layer needs to have a compressive stress.
[0037]
This saccharin sodium also serves as a brightening agent during film formation, smoothing the surface of the endless member to give a glossy surface. In order to facilitate dissolution of the glossed surface by anodic electrolysis, the amount of nickel chloride 20-30 g / l of the usual nickel sulfamate plating solution bright bath composition is increased to 40-60 g / l. In addition, the increase in the amount compensates for the consumption at the anode, so that the liquid composition is stabilized.
[0038]
The surfactant is added in the range of 5 to 15 ml / l in order to improve the wettability between the mold surface and the electroforming liquid during film formation. In order to suppress the occurrence of pinholes in film formation, it is more effective to use a surfactant in a somewhat wide range of 10 to 15 ml / l. However, since foaming of the electroforming liquid increases, it is necessary to use an antifoaming agent in combination. By suppressing the generation of pinholes, it is possible to prevent die pitting during anodic electrolysis after film formation.
[0039]
In the present invention, when the above requirements are satisfied, the endless member can be formed by electroforming according to the same procedure as before.
[0040]
【Example】
Examples of the present invention are shown below.
[0041]
This example shows only one aspect of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.
[0042]
A movable frame 10 is used as a hanging tool 12 for two types of molds 5 and 6 having different surface areas shown in FIG. After passing through each process, it is immersed in the individual electrolytic cell 4, and it rotates in the range of 6 rpm with a separate rotary motor.
[0043]
The ratio of surface area is mold 5: mold 6 = 3: 1.
[0044]
5 seconds after the mold 5 and the mold 6 are immersed in the electrolytic cell, a predetermined current corresponding to the surface area is individually applied from the power supply device 1 to each electrode to form a nickel film.
[0045]
On the surface area of the mold 5 and the mold 6, a nickel film having a thickness of about 30 μm was formed by electroforming for 30 minutes under the condition of a current density of 5 A / dm ² . The electrolyte composition was nickel sulfamate.
[0046]
The electrolyte solution was circulated at 40 l / min, and the filter mesh was filtered (filtered) by superposing two fine ones.
[0047]
As described above, electrocasting was produced simultaneously as seamless endless members of different sizes in size, and as a result, the film thickness of the raw tube was within 30 ± 5 μm.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
Although it is desirable to manufacture the pipes of seamless endless members with seamless surface by electrocasting at the same time, it is desirable to produce a large number of molds with the same surface area. It was. That is, when producing pipes with different surface areas, all the molds were exchanged, so that a large amount of molds with different surface areas was required. In contrast, in the present invention, two or more types of molds having different surface areas are set on one hanger ( movable frame ), and each is divided and immersed in a plurality of electrolytic cells. By supplying a necessary amount of current, it is possible to simultaneously manufacture several types of elementary tubes with different surface areas. And at least two rotating devices are mounted on each hanger, and these rotating devices can control the number of rotations of individually suspended molds, so that it is possible to simultaneously manufacture raw pipes having different surface areas in electroforming. If possible.
[0049]
In the invention of claim 2, in the production of the seamless flexible endless member, the electrolysis method is applied by one electrolytic cell (one bath) , one power source, one mold method, so that any surface area can be obtained. In the present invention, it is possible to manufacture (cast).
[0052]
In the invention of claim 3, in raw tube production of the seamless flexible endless member, the power with a by applying the electroforming method electrolytic cell, place 2 tank or in a line, to separate the electrolyzer In addition, the necessary amount of current can be applied to the molds having different surface areas.
[0053]
In the invention of claim 4 , in the manufacture of the seamless endless flexible member, when a plurality of dies having different surface areas are simultaneously transported by a transporting vehicle, the transport speed is increased when the weight balance is poor and shaking occurs during transport. By making this variable, we provide a technology that absorbs shaking and enables stable conveyance. Furthermore, in the invention of claim 5, a hanger for suspending a plurality of molds is provided on a hanger to provide an apparatus that can easily carry out the above method industrially.
[0054]
As a preferred aspect of the invention, in the production of a seamless flexible endless member, a plurality of molds having different surface areas can be lifted and lowered simultaneously by a lifting device, but if the lifting speed can be varied, There is an advantage that the electrolytic solution can be prevented from splashing during rushing and lifting.
[0055]
Furthermore, when at least two layers of individual electrolytic tanks are provided for one electrolytic solution preliminary tank, a flow meter is provided so that the amount of electroforming liquid supplied from the preliminary tank to the individual electrolytic tank is a predetermined (necessary) amount. It can be adjusted by a flow rate adjusting valve. If the flow rate can be adjusted individually in a plurality of molds having different surface areas, the raw tube can have a desired film thickness. In order to clean the electrolytic solution, it is preferable to use a fine filter and remove the suspended matter by at least two-stage filtration, and it is possible to prevent occurrence of defects on the surface of the raw tube. In addition, when the electrode distance is variable, variations in film thickness can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an example of a schematic diagram (configuration diagram) of an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric power feeder 2 Electrolyte stock tank 3 Filter medium (filtration means)
4 Electrolysis tank 5 Mold 6 Mold (shape etc. is different from mold 5)
7 Stirring means 8 Electrode 9 Electrolyte supply means 10 Movable frame (hanger)
11 Circulating means 12 Hanging tool

Claims (5)

In a method for producing a seamless flexible endless member by electrocasting , two or more different molds are used, and a single electrolyte is used to simultaneously conduct electricity under different electrocasting conditions for each mold. It consists of casting , and at that time, two or more dies are hung on one hanger (frame), and two or more rotating devices are mounted on each hanger (frame). A method for producing a seamless flexible endless member, wherein the rotational conditions are individually variably controlled . 2. The method for producing a seamless flexible endless member according to claim 1, wherein the electroless casting method is used to produce one bath, one power source and one mold. 3. The seamless flexible endless member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two or more electrolytic cells are arranged in a row and the current is individually controlled for each electrolytic cell when performing the electroforming method. Production method. The method for producing a seamless flexible endless member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when a plurality of molds having different surface areas are simultaneously conveyed, the conveyance speed is variably controlled. In an apparatus for producing a seamless flexible endless member by electroforming, an electrolytic solution supplying means for supplying a single electrolytic solution to a plurality of electrolytic cells is provided, and two or more types of molds are suspended to form an electrolytic layer Seamless flexure, characterized in that hangers (frames) that are immersed in the hanger (frame) and two or more rotating devices are mounted on each hanger (frame) so that the rotational conditions can be variably controlled for each mold. Manufacturing equipment for endless members.

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