JP3961190B2 - Coating apparatus and electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a coating apparatus and an electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to a booth structure for performing a coating process of an electrophotographic photoreceptor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The electrophotographic photoconductor coating device has a small clean booth with high cleanliness and high precision temperature and humidity as required in the coating room, which is a clean room with low cleanliness for energy saving and low cost. It is installed and installed in the booth to perform the coating process. A variety of organic solvents are used in the coating solution for electrophotographic photoreceptors, and the gas generated from these organic solvents during coating is a harmful or flammable solvent gas. The balance of the room pressure must be set to clean booth ≦ clean room so that gas does not go into the clean room which is the normal work area of the worker.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in order to maintain high cleanliness and high precision temperature and humidity in the clean booth in this state, the clean booth must be completely sealed, which is almost impossible because of the loading and unloading of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Therefore, when the electrophotographic photosensitive member is applied in this state, there is a problem that defects such as dust adhesion due to a decrease in cleanliness and brushing due to an increase in humidity occur.
[0004]
The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and is a low-cost coating apparatus that can prevent the influence on the operator, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member that can produce a high-quality electrophotographic photosensitive member. The purpose is to provide.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the coating apparatus according to the present invention is provided outside the first clean booth and the first clean booth in which a coating machine for forming a coating film is formed on the object to be coated. A coating chamber including a second clean booth as an intermediate chamber, and a clean room as a work area provided outside the second clean booth, and the first and second clean booths and clean rooms. Chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting the chamber pressure balance. Each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the pressure balances of the first and second clean booths and the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth. The chamber pressure adjusting means is based on adjusting the air exhaust amount in each of the first and second clean booths and clean rooms. Further, the structure of the second clean booth is not completely sealed, and an opening for entering and exiting between the clean room and the second clean booth and an openable / closable sealing member for opening and closing the opening are provided. . Therefore, according to the coating apparatus having such a configuration, the gas flow between the first clean booth and the clean room is not directly connected, and flows into the second clean booth. It can be prevented, the structure is simple, and the cost can be reduced.
[0006]
Further, as another invention, according the coating chamber to form a photoconductor coating on a substrate the electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the electrons forming the photoconductor coating on the base body A first clean booth for installing the photoconductor coating apparatus, a second clean booth as an intermediate chamber provided outside the first clean booth, and an operation provided outside the second clean booth A coating room configured to include a clean room as an area ; first and second clean booths; and chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting the room pressure balance of the clean room; It is characterized in that each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the room pressure balances in the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth. The chamber pressure adjusting means is based on adjusting the air exhaust amount in each of the first and second clean booths and clean rooms. Therefore, according to the electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing apparatus having such a configuration, the gas flow between the first clean booth and the clean room is not directly connected, but flows into the second clean booth. Can prevent the influence. In addition, it is possible to prevent a sudden decrease in the cleanliness of the first clean booth and a decrease in temperature and humidity management due to the inflow of air from the clean room. In addition, the high cleanliness of the first clean booth and the high-precision temperature / humidity state can be maintained as necessary to prevent the occurrence of defects due to dust adhering or brushing when the electrophotographic photosensitive member is applied. As a result, the cleanliness of the clean room can be further reduced, and energy saving and running cost can be reduced.
[0007]
Furthermore, since the structure of the second clean booth is not completely sealed, the gas can freely flow in.
[0008]
In addition, at least part of the ceiling and wall material of the second clean booth is made of conductive resin, so that the inside of the second clean booth can be seen from inside the clean room, and causes of ignition and dust adsorption due to static electricity Can be manufactured at low cost.
[0009]
Furthermore, the second clean booth is provided by providing an opening for entering and exiting between the clean room and the second clean booth and a sealing member such as a fastener chuck that can be opened and closed to open and close the opening. The structure is simplified and manufactured at low cost.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The coating apparatus of the present invention includes a first clean booth in which a coating machine for forming a coating film on an object to be coated is installed, and a second clean booth as an intermediate chamber provided outside the first clean booth, A coating chamber comprising a clean room as a work area provided outside the second clean booth, and a chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting the chamber pressure balance between the first and second clean booths and the clean room And have. Each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the pressure balances of the first and second clean booths and the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth.
[0011]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of an electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although the drawing shows a coating apparatus by dipping of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, the present invention can be applied not only to coating by dipping but also to any manufacturing apparatus for an electrophotographic photosensitive member such as spraying and winding. In the figure, the electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment is mainly provided in a coating room 1, a clean room 2 used as an operation room or a work area where an operator operates the apparatus, and a clean room 2. The installed first clean booth 3 and second clean booth 4 are provided. Further, the dip coating apparatus is installed in the first clean booth 3, installed in the second clean booth 4, and the elevator 6 for moving up and down for immersing the substrate 5 in the coating tank 7. A coating liquid stirring tank 8 for supplying and circulating the coating liquid is included. The second clean booth 4 has a minimum capacity for enclosing the openable / closable part (door or the like) of the first clean booth 3 and the coating liquid stirring tank 8. In addition, since the second clean booth 4 is made of a conductive vinyl sheet in part of the material of the ceiling and walls, the inside of the second clean booth 4 can be seen from the clean room 2 and is static. Can prevent ignition and dust adsorption. In the first clean booth 3, the conditioned air passes through the clean booth air supply duct 10 behind the ceiling by the clean booth air supply fan 9 and passes through the HEPA filter 11 installed on the first clean booth 3. And supplied as clean air. At the same time, clean booth exhaust air is discharged from the lower portion of the first clean booth 3 through the clean booth exhaust duct 14 below the free access floor 13 by the clean booth exhaust fan 12. Each of the second clean booths 4 has a second clean booth exhaust duct 15 that communicates with the clean booth exhaust duct 14. The relationship between the room pressure balance of the clean room 2, the first clean booth 3 and the second clean booth 4 is adjusted for the clean booth air supply damper 16, the first clean booth exhaust damper 17 and the second clean booth exhaust damper 18. In other words, the first clean booth 3> the clean room 2> the second clean booth 4 is set by adjusting the supply and exhaust flow rates of the respective chambers. Note that the second clean booth 4 has no air supply mechanism, and is supplied with air flowing from the clean room 2 and the first clean booth 3 due to the difference in the room pressure through a slight gap. Thereby, an air supply mechanism is unnecessary and low cost is realized. In the second clean booth 4, an opening / closing part (not shown) of the clean room 2 is constituted by a fastener chuck, and a seal part is a magic tape. Therefore, it is easy to remove and can be manufactured at low cost.
[0012]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which coating is performed on a substrate of an electrophotographic photoreceptor used in an image forming apparatus or the like has been described. However, it is not necessary to limit an object to be coated. That is, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope of the claims.
[0013]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the coating apparatus according to the present invention includes a first clean booth that installs a coating machine that forms a coating film on an object to be coated, and an intermediate chamber that is provided outside the first clean booth. A coating chamber including a second clean booth, and a clean room as a work area provided outside the second clean booth, and a chamber pressure balance between the first and second clean booths and the clean room Chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure. Each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the pressure balances of the first and second clean booths and the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth. The chamber pressure adjusting means is based on adjusting the air exhaust amount in each of the first and second clean booths and clean rooms. Further, the structure of the second clean booth is not completely sealed, and an opening for entering and exiting between the clean room and the second clean booth and an openable / closable sealing member for opening and closing the opening are provided. . Therefore, according to the coating apparatus having such a configuration, the gas flow between the first clean booth and the clean room is not directly connected, and flows into the second clean booth. Can be prevented. In addition, the structure is simple and the cost can be reduced.
[0014]
Further, as another invention, according the coating chamber to form a photoconductor coating on a substrate the electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the electrons forming the photoconductor coating on the base body A first clean booth for installing the photoconductor coating apparatus, a second clean booth as an intermediate chamber provided outside the first clean booth, and an operation provided outside the second clean booth A coating room configured to include a clean room as an area ; first and second clean booths; and chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting the room pressure balance of the clean room; It is characterized in that each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the room pressure balances in the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth. The chamber pressure adjusting means is based on adjusting the air exhaust amount in each of the first and second clean booths and clean rooms. Therefore, according to the electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing apparatus having such a configuration, the gas flow between the first clean booth and the clean room is not directly connected, but flows into the second clean booth. Can prevent the influence. In addition, it is possible to prevent a sudden decrease in the cleanliness of the first clean booth and a decrease in temperature and humidity management due to the inflow of air from the clean room. In addition, the high cleanliness of the first clean booth and the high-precision temperature / humidity state can be maintained as necessary to prevent the occurrence of defects due to dust adhering or brushing when the electrophotographic photosensitive member is applied. As a result, the cleanliness of the clean room can be further reduced, and energy saving and running cost can be reduced.
[0015]
Furthermore, since the structure of the second clean booth is not completely sealed, the gas can freely flow in.
[0016]
In addition, at least a part of the material of the ceiling and wall of the second clean booth is made of conductive resin, so that the inside of the second clean booth can be seen from inside the clean room, and causes of static electricity ignition and dust adsorption Can be manufactured at low cost.
[0017]
Furthermore, the structure of the second clean booth can be simplified by providing an opening for entering and exiting between the clean room and the second clean booth and an openable / closable sealing member for opening and closing the opening. Produced at low cost.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of an electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: coating chamber, 2: clean room, 3: first clean booth,
4: Second clean booth, 5: Substrate (electrophotographic photosensitive member),
6: elevator, 7: coating tank, 8: coating liquid stirring tank,
9: Clean booth air supply fan, 10: Clean booth air supply duct,
11: HEPA filter, 12: Clean booth exhaust fan,
13: Free access floor, 14: Clean booth exhaust duct,
15: Second clean booth exhaust duct,
16: Clean booth air supply damper
17: First clean booth exhaust damper,
18: Second clean booth exhaust damper.

Claims (7)

A first clean booth installing a coater to form a coating film on the medium to be coated, a second clean booth as before Symbol intermediate chamber provided outside the first clean booth, the second A coating chamber configured to include a clean room as a work area provided outside the clean booth ;
A chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting a chamber pressure balance of the first and second clean booths and the clean room;
Each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the room pressure balances of the first and second clean booths and the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth. An applicator characterized by that.   The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second clean booth is not completely sealed.   The coating apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 which provided the opening part for entrance / exit between the said clean room and the said 2nd clean booth, and the openable-closable sealing member which opens and closes this opening part. In an electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor by forming a photoreceptor coating film on a substrate in a coating chamber,
A first clean booth installing an electrophotographic photoreceptor coating apparatus for forming a photoconductor coating on a base body, a second clean booth as before Symbol intermediate chamber provided outside the first clean booth A coating chamber including a clean room as a work area provided outside the second clean booth ;
A chamber pressure adjusting means for adjusting a chamber pressure balance of the first and second clean booths and the clean room;
Each room pressure is adjusted by the room pressure adjusting means so that the relationship between the room pressure balances of the first and second clean booths and the clean room is as follows: first clean booth> clean room> second clean booth. An apparatus for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member.   5. The electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the structure of the second clean booth is not completely sealed.   The electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein at least a part of a material of the ceiling and the wall of the second clean booth is a conductive resin.   The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising an opening for entering and exiting between the clean room and the second clean booth and an openable / closable sealing member for opening and closing the opening. Body manufacturing equipment.

Images