JP4273013B2 - Method for producing electrophotographic photosensitive member - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the production how the electronic photosensitive member.

  An electrophotographic photoreceptor used in an electrophotographic apparatus is generally produced by forming a layer such as a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support made of metal (such as aluminum).

  Various vibrations may be generated from the electrophotographic photosensitive member depending on the use conditions. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 02-118684 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 03-105348 (Patent Document 2) describe that a squeak noise is generated due to contact between an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a cleaning blade. ing.

  In these prior arts, as a method for preventing the occurrence of vibration, any vibration preventing member is inserted and fixed on the inner peripheral surface side (inside) of the cylindrical support of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Has been done.

  However, if an insert that is a vibration preventing member is inserted and fixed on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, the dimensional accuracy of the cylindrical support with the insert inserted on the inner peripheral surface may deteriorate. It was. In other words, since the cylindrical support used for the electrophotographic photoreceptor is generally a thin cylindrical body, the mechanical strength is low, and the process of expansion and contraction when inserting the insert into the inner peripheral surface side thereof It is easy to deform if there is.

In addition, when an adhesive is used to fix the insert to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical support, the adhesive may protrude or the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member may be contaminated depending on the type of adhesive. Or the cylindrical support may be deformed by a volume change when the adhesive is cured. Therefore, it is very complicated to manage the type of adhesive, application conditions, storage environment, and the like.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-118684 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-105348

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and to have an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support that suppresses the occurrence of vibration during use, and to insert the insert into the inner periphery of the cylindrical support. It was inserted into the side, to provide a way to produce a deformation and contamination-free electrophotographic photoreceptor which occurs upon fixing.

The present invention has a cylindrical support, has an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer in this order on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, has an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, There is an insert fixing layer for fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support between the cylindrical support and the insert, and a material used for the insert fixing layer is A method for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor which is the same material as that used for the intermediate layer ,
With applying the intermediate layer-insert fixed layer coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support, also applying the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating solution on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical support An intermediate layer / insert fixing layer coating solution coating step,
With drying the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating liquid applied to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support by the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating liquid applying step, of the cylindrical support by also dry the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating liquid applied to the peripheral surface, and the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer forming step of together forming the intermediate layer and the insert fixed layer,
A photosensitive layer coating liquid applying step of applying a photosensitive layer coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate layer formed by the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer forming step,
A photosensitive layer formation step of forming the photosensitive layer by drying the photosensitive layer coating liquid applied to the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate layer by the photosensitive layer coating liquid application process,
And a solvent coating step of coating dissolvable solvent to the insert fixed layer formed on at least one of said insert pinned and the insert by the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer forming step,
After the solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixed layer is applied to at least one of the insert fixed layer and the insert by solution coating step, inserting the insert into the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical support An insert insertion step,
After the insert has been inserted into the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support by the insert inserting step, the insert applied to at least one of the insert fixed layer and the insert by solution coating step It is the method for producing a photoreceptor characterized by having a said insert by drying the dissolvable solvent fixation layer and the insert fixing step of fixing the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical support .

According to the present invention, the insert that suppresses the occurrence of vibration during use is provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, and the insert is inserted and fixed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical support. it is possible to provide a way to produce a deformation or contamination of such have electronic photoreceptor generated when.

  First, the configuration of the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention will be described.

As described above, the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention has a cylindrical support, an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer in this order on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support, the inner circumference of the cylindrical support An electrophotographic photosensitive member having an insert on the surface side.

  The photosensitive layer is separated into a charge generating layer containing a charge generating material and a charge transporting layer containing a charge transporting material even if it is a single layer type photosensitive layer containing the charge transporting material and the charge generating material in the same layer. A laminated type (functional separation type) photosensitive layer may be used, but a laminated type photosensitive layer is preferred from the viewpoint of electrophotographic characteristics. The laminated photosensitive layer has a normal layer type photosensitive layer laminated in the order of the charge generation layer and the charge transport layer from the support side, and a reverse layer type photosensitive layer laminated in the order of the charge transport layer and the charge generation layer from the support side. However, a normal photosensitive layer is preferred from the viewpoint of electrophotographic characteristics.

  1 to 3 show examples of the layer structure of the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention.

  In the electrophotographic photosensitive member having the layer structure shown in FIG. 1, an intermediate layer 103 is provided on the outer peripheral surface side of a cylindrical support 101, and a photosensitive layer 104 is further provided on the outer peripheral surface side. On the other hand, an insert 106 is inserted on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support 101, and the insert 106 is inserted between the cylindrical support 101 and the insert 106 inside the cylindrical support 101. An insert fixing layer 105 for fixing to the peripheral surface side is provided.

  In the electrophotographic photosensitive member having the layer structure shown in FIG. 2, an intermediate layer 103 is provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support 101, and a charge generation layer 1041 and a charge transport layer 1042 are sequentially provided on the outer peripheral surface side. Is provided. On the other hand, the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support 101 is the same as the electrophotographic photosensitive member having the layer structure shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a conductive layer 102 described later may be provided between the cylindrical support 101 and the intermediate layer 103.

  As the cylindrical support (hereinafter also simply referred to as a support), it is only necessary to have conductivity (conductive support). For example, a metal support such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel is used. Can do. Moreover, the said metal support body and plastic support body which have the layer in which aluminum, an aluminum alloy, an indium oxide tin oxide alloy etc. were formed into a film by vacuum deposition can also be used. Also, a support in which conductive particles such as carbon black, tin oxide particles, titanium oxide particles, and silver particles are impregnated into plastic or paper together with an appropriate binder resin, a plastic support having a conductive binder resin, etc. Can also be used.

  A conductive layer may be provided between the support and the intermediate layer for the purpose of preventing interference fringes due to scattering of laser light or the like, and covering scratches on the support. The conductive layer can be formed by dispersing conductive particles such as carbon black and metal particles in a binder resin. The thickness of the conductive layer is preferably 1 to 40 μm, and more preferably 2 to 20 μm.

  An intermediate layer having a barrier function or an adhesion function is provided between the support or the conductive layer and the photosensitive layer (charge generation layer, charge transport layer). The intermediate layer is formed for the purpose of improving the adhesion of the photosensitive layer, improving the coating property, improving the charge injection property from the support, and protecting the photosensitive layer from electrical breakdown.

  The intermediate layer is composed of alkyd resin, polyethylene resin, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, polyamide resin, vinyl acetate resin, polycarbonate resin, polyimide resin, vinylidene chloride resin, polyvinyl acetal resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol resin, Resins such as nitrocellulose, casein, gelatin, polyglutamic acid, starch, starch acetate, amino starch, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, silane coupling agents, organometallic compounds containing zirconium, titanium, aluminum, manganese, etc. It can form by apply | coating the coating liquid for intermediate | middle layers obtained by melt | dissolving a metal organic compound in a solvent, and drying. These can be used singly or in combination of two or more as a mixture or copolymer. Among these materials, polyamide resin is preferable, nylon is preferable among polyamide resins, and alcohol-soluble nylon is preferable among nylons. Moreover, it is preferable that alcohol soluble nylon is 30 mass% or more with respect to the intermediate | middle layer total mass.

In order for the intermediate layer to exhibit its function, the volume resistivity of the intermediate layer is preferably 10 ⁷ Ω · cm or more. For the purpose of adjusting the volume resistivity of the intermediate layer, metal oxide particles such as titanium oxide, zinc oxide, and silicon oxide may be included in the intermediate layer.

  The thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably 0.05 to 5 μm, and more preferably 0.3 to 1 μm.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, an insertion body fixing layer is provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the support, and on the inner peripheral surface side (inner side) of the support, the purpose is to prevent the occurrence of vibrations. The inserted insert is inserted.

  The insert fixing layer is formed together when the intermediate layer is formed. The material used for the insert fixing layer is the same as the material used for the intermediate layer.

  That is, in the present invention, the intermediate layer coating solution is also a coating solution for the insert fixing layer. Apply this coating solution (that is, the coating solution for the intermediate layer / insert fixing layer) to the outer peripheral surface side and the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, and then to the outer peripheral surface side and the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support. The intermediate layer and the insert fixing layer are dried (simultaneously and substantially simultaneously) by drying the coating solution for the intermediate layer / insert fixing layer applied to the substrate.

  The solvent used for the coating solution for the intermediate layer / insert fixed layer is selected from the solubility and dispersion stability of the material used, and examples thereof include alcohols such as methanol and butanol. These solvents are also used as a “solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer” used when fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface side of the support. The solvent used for the intermediate layer / insert fixing layer coating solution and the solvent used when fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface of the support may be the same or different.

  These solvents can be used alone or as a mixture of two or more thereof, or a “solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer” and a “solvent not dissolving the insert fixing layer” can be used in combination. However, when two or more solvents are used, the mass of the “solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer” is preferably 50% by mass or more with respect to the total mass of the solvent to be used.

  The “solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer” used when fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface side of the support is a solvent that does not dissolve layers other than the intermediate layer / insert fixing layer. Is preferred. In particular, as a "solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer" used when fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface side of the support, when using a solvent that dissolves the layer that becomes the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, The surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor may be contaminated.

  Examples of the insert that is a vibration preventing member include those made of metal such as aluminum and stainless steel, and those made of resin, rubber, paper, clay, and plaster.

  Examples of the charge generating material used in the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention include azo pigments such as monoazo, disazo and trisazo, phthalocyanine pigments such as metal phthalocyanine and nonmetal phthalocyanine, and indigo pigments such as indigo and thioindigo. Perylene pigments such as perylene anhydride and perylene imide, polycyclic quinone pigments such as anthraquinone and pyrenequinone, squarylium dyes, pyrylium salts and thiapyrylium salts, triphenylmethane dyes, selenium, selenium-tellurium And inorganic substances such as amorphous silicon, quinacridone pigments, azulenium salt pigments, cyanine dyes, xanthene dyes, quinoneimine dyes, styryl dyes, cadmium sulfide, and zinc oxide. These charge generation materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  When the photosensitive layer is a laminated photosensitive layer, examples of the binder resin used for the charge generation layer include polycarbonate resin, polyester resin, polyarylate resin, butyral resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl acetal resin, diallyl phthalate resin, and acrylic resin. Methacrylic resin, vinyl acetate resin, phenol resin, silicone resin, polysulfone resin, styrene-butadiene copolymer resin, alkyd resin, epoxy resin, urea resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, and the like. In particular, a butyral resin is preferable. These can be used singly or in combination of two or more as a mixture or copolymer.

  The charge generation layer can be formed by applying and drying a charge generation layer coating solution obtained by dispersing a charge generation material together with a binder resin and a solvent. Examples of the dispersion method include a method using a homogenizer, an ultrasonic wave, a ball mill, a sand mill, a roll mill, a vibration mill, an attritor, a liquid collision type high-speed disperser, and the like. The ratio between the charge generating material and the binder resin is preferably in the range of 10: 1 to 1:20 (mass ratio).

  The solvent used in the coating solution for the charge generation layer is selected from the solubility and dispersion stability of the binder resin and charge generation material used, and the organic solvents include alcohols, sulfoxides, ketones, ethers, esters, aliphatic halogens. Hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds.

  The film thickness of the charge generation layer is preferably from 0.01 to 15 μm, more preferably from 0.05 to 5 μm.

  In addition, various sensitizers, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, plasticizers, and the like can be added to the charge generation layer as necessary.

  Examples of the charge transport material used in the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention include triarylamine compounds, hydrazone compounds, styryl compounds, stilbene compounds, pyrazoline compounds, oxazole compounds, thiazole compounds, and triarylmethane compounds. These charge transport materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  When the photosensitive layer is a laminated photosensitive layer, examples of the binder resin used for the charge transport layer include acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, polyacrylamide resin, acrylonitrile resin, polyamide resin, polyvinyl butyral resin, vinyl chloride resin, vinyl acetate. Examples include resins, phenoxy resins, phenol resins, polystyrene resins, polyester resins, polycarbonate resins, polyarylate resins, polysulfone resins, polyphenylene oxide resins, epoxy resins, polyurethane resins, alkyd resins, and unsaturated resins. In particular, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin and the like are preferable. These can be used singly or in combination of two or more as a mixture or copolymer.

  The charge transport layer can be formed by applying and drying a charge transport layer coating solution obtained by dissolving a charge transport material and a binder resin in a solvent. The ratio between the charge transport material and the binder resin is preferably in the range of 5: 1 to 1: 5 (mass ratio), and more preferably in the range of 3: 1 to 1: 3 (mass ratio).

  Solvents used in the charge transport layer coating solution include ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, esters such as methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene, ethers such as 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran, and chlorobenzene. , Hydrocarbons substituted with halogen atoms such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride are used.

  The thickness of the charge transport layer is preferably 5 to 50 μm, and more preferably 8 to 30 μm.

  In addition, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet absorber, a plasticizer, and the like can be added to the charge transport layer as necessary.

  When the photosensitive layer is a single-layer type photosensitive layer, the single-layer type photosensitive layer is a coating for a single-layer type photosensitive layer obtained by dispersing the charge generation material and the charge transport material together with the binder resin and the solvent. It can be formed by applying a liquid and drying.

  Further, a protective layer may be provided on the photosensitive layer for the purpose of protecting the photosensitive layer. The protective layer can be formed by applying and drying a protective layer coating solution obtained by dissolving the various binder resins described above in a solvent.

  The thickness of the protective layer is preferably 0.5 to 10 μm, and particularly preferably 1 to 5 μm.

  When applying the coating liquid for each of the above layers, for example, a coating method such as a dip coating method (a dip coating method), a spray coating method, a spinner coating method, a roller coating method, a Meyer bar coating method, a blade coating method, or the like is used. Can do.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus provided with a process cartridge having the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention.

  In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical electrophotographic photosensitive member, which is rotationally driven in a direction of an arrow about a shaft 2 at a predetermined peripheral speed.

  The surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 that is rotationally driven is uniformly charged to a predetermined positive or negative potential by a charging unit (primary charging unit: charging roller or the like) 3, and then subjected to slit exposure, laser beam scanning exposure, or the like. Exposure light (image exposure light) 4 output from exposure means (not shown) is received. In this way, electrostatic latent images corresponding to the target image are sequentially formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1.

  The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 is developed with toner contained in the developer of the developing unit 5 to become a toner image. Next, the toner image formed and supported on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 is transferred from a transfer material supply means (not shown) to the electrophotographic photoreceptor 1 and the transfer means by a transfer bias from a transfer means (transfer roller or the like) 6. 6 (contact portion) is sequentially transferred onto a transfer material (paper or the like) P taken out and fed in synchronization with the rotation of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1.

  The transfer material P that has received the transfer of the toner image is separated from the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 and introduced into the fixing means 8 to receive the image fixing, and is printed out as an image formed product (print, copy). Is done.

  The surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 after the transfer of the toner image is cleaned by a cleaning means (cleaning blade or the like) 7 to remove the developer (toner) remaining after transfer, and further from a pre-exposure means (not shown). After being subjected to charge removal processing by pre-exposure light (not shown), it is repeatedly used for image formation. As shown in FIG. 4, when the charging unit 3 is a contact charging unit using a charging roller or the like, pre-exposure is not always necessary.

  Among the above-described components such as the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1, the charging unit 3, the developing unit 5, the transfer unit 6 and the cleaning unit 7, a plurality of components are housed in a container and integrally combined as a process cartridge. The process cartridge may be configured to be detachable from an electrophotographic apparatus main body such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer. In FIG. 4, the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1, the charging unit 3, the developing unit 5 and the cleaning unit 7 are integrally supported to form a cartridge, and the electrophotographic apparatus is used by using a guide unit 10 such as a rail of the electrophotographic apparatus main body. The process cartridge 9 is detachable from the main body.

  Further, the process cartridge 9 may be provided with a cover intended to shield the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1 when it is pulled out from the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus or to prevent dust from adhering.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these. In the examples, “part” means “part by mass”. Moreover, all the polyarylate resins used in the examples have a molar ratio of terephthalic acid structure to isophthalic acid structure (terephthalic acid structure: isophthalic acid structure) of 50:50 (molar ratio).

(Example 1)
An aluminum cylinder having an outer diameter of 30 mm, an inner diameter of 28.5 mm, and a length of 254 mm was used as a support (cylindrical support).

  Next, 10 parts of copolymerized polyamide resin (trade name: Amilan CM-8000, manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc.), 30 parts of methoxymethylated 6 nylon resin (trade name: Toresin EF-30T, manufactured by Teikoku Chemical Co., Ltd.) Then, it was dissolved in a mixed solvent of 400 parts of methanol / 200 parts of n-butanol to prepare an intermediate layer / insert fixing layer coating solution.

  The intermediate layer / insert fixing layer coating solution was dip-coated on the outer peripheral surface side and the inner peripheral surface side of the support and dried at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to form an intermediate layer and an insert fixing layer. The film thickness of the intermediate layer was 1.0 μm, and the film thickness of the insert fixing layer was 0.9 μm.

  Next, 3.24 parts of a disazo pigment (charge generation material) having a structure represented by the following formula,

Disperse 4 parts of polyvinyl-4-fluorobenzal and 100 parts of tetrahydrofuran in a sand mill using glass beads having a diameter of 1 mm for 30 hours, and then add 100 parts of 2-butanone to prepare a coating solution for a charge generation layer. did.

This charge generation layer coating solution was dip coated on the outer peripheral surface side of the intermediate layer and dried at 90 ° C. for 10 minutes to form a charge generation layer. The film thickness of the charge generation layer was adjusted so that the content of the disazo pigment in the charge generation layer was 100 mg / m ² .

  Next, 25 parts of tetrafluoroethylene resin particles (trade name: Lubron L-2, manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd.), 25 parts of polyarylate resin (weight average molecular weight: 150,000) and 75 parts of monochlorobenzene were added to a glass having a diameter of 1 mm. Dispersion was carried out for 4 hours in a sand mill apparatus using beads to prepare a fluorine atom-containing resin particle dispersion.

  Next, 9 parts of a compound (charge transport material) having a structure represented by the following formula:

1 part of a compound (charge transport material) having a structure represented by the following formula,

A coating solution for a charge transport layer was prepared by dissolving 10 parts of a polyarylate resin and 12.5 parts of the fluorine atom-containing resin particle dispersion in a mixed solvent of 75 parts of monochlorobenzene / 25 parts of dimethoxymethane. The content of the tetrafluoroethylene resin particles with respect to the total mass of the solid content in the coating solution for charge transport layer is 10% by mass.

  This charge transport layer coating solution was dip coated on the outer peripheral surface of the charge generation layer and dried at 120 ° C. for 60 minutes to form a charge transport layer having a thickness of 25 μm.

  Next, a small amount of methanol is applied as a solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer to the inner peripheral surface side of the insert fixing layer provided on the inner peripheral surface side of the support, and then an aluminum insert (outside A 28.45 mm diameter, a length of 100 mm, and a weight of 170 g) were inserted into the inner peripheral surface side of the support and dried at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to fix the insert to the inner peripheral surface side of the support. Note that methanol had a lubricating effect when the insert was inserted.

  In this way, an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a layer structure shown in FIG. 3 was produced.

  The surface contamination of the produced electrophotographic photosensitive member is visually observed and observed with a microscope, and then the support is deformed by inserting and fixing the insert, and a modified laser beam printer LBP-A404 manufactured by Canon Inc. (Fig. The configuration shown in FIG. 4 was used to confirm the output image.

  Regarding the charging noise and the noise of the cleaning blade when the electrophotographic photosensitive member stops rotating, the laser beam printer is installed in an anechoic chamber with a background noise of 30 dB (A), and from the front of the laser beam printer main body. A normal sound level meter NL-21 manufactured by Rion Co., Ltd. was installed at a position of 1 m, and the sound pressure was measured with this normal sound level meter. When measuring the sound pressure, the laser beam printer has been modified so that only the electrophotographic photosensitive member can be freely rotated, and a desired voltage is applied to the charging roller from an external high-voltage power supply. In order to do so, the internal high voltage power supply and the external high voltage power supply have been modified to be switched.

  The noise level XdB (A) when the electrophotographic photosensitive member is simply driven to rotate, and a predetermined AC voltage applied to the charging roller in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member while rotating the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Each noise level YdB (A) was measured, and the difference (Y−XdB (A)) was calculated as an increase in noise level due to the charged sound and compared.

  Here, the peripheral speed of the electrophotographic photosensitive member was 50 mm / s, and regarding the noise of the cleaning blade, the maximum noise level ZdB (A) at the time of stopping rotation after rotating only the electrophotographic photosensitive member was measured.

  The charging of the modified machine used in this embodiment will be described.

  The charging means of the modified machine used in this example is a contact charging means having a charging roller. The charging roller is a roller having an outer diameter of 12 mm composed of a conductive core made of SUS and a conductive elastic layer made of carbon-containing urethane rubber formed on the outer peripheral surface side of the core. The charging roller is in contact with the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by spring members (not shown in FIG. 4) at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the cored bar, and rotates following the rotation of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

  The surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is charged by a charging roller to which a predetermined voltage is applied. As a voltage to be applied to the charging roller, an oscillating voltage (a voltage whose voltage value periodically changes with time) in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage was employed. The AC voltage preferably has a peak-to-peak voltage that is at least twice the charging start voltage on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member when only the DC voltage is applied. In this embodiment, the peak-to-peak voltage of the AC voltage is 2000V. It was. The frequency of the AC voltage was 200 Hz. Further, the AC voltage waveform includes a sine wave, a rectangular wave, a triangular wave, a pulse wave, etc., but a sine wave is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing charging noise, and the sine wave is also adopted in this embodiment.

  The above evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

(Example 2)
An electrophotographic photosensitive member was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that methanol (solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer) was changed to a mixed solvent of methanol / water = 1: 1 (mass ratio). Prepared and evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 1)
In Example 1, an electrophotographic photosensitive member was produced and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the fixing of the insert was changed to adhesion with a cyanoacrylate adhesive. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 2)
In Example 1, the electrophotographic photosensitive member was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that methanol used as a solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer was changed to a mixed solvent of methanol / water = 1: 2 (mass ratio). Were made and evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 3)
In Example 1, only the intermediate layer and the insert fixing layer are first formed, and the insert fixing layer is formed after the charge transport layer is formed, and 10 parts of the copolymerized polyamide resin used for the insert fixing layer is used. An electrophotographic photoreceptor was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 30 parts of methoxymethylated 6 nylon resin was changed to 30 parts of polyamide resin and 10 parts of polycarbonate resin. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 4)
In Example 1, only the intermediate layer is first formed with respect to the intermediate layer and the insert fixing layer, and the insert fixing layer is formed simultaneously with the charge transport layer using the charge transport layer coating solution (drying condition: 120 ° C. 60 minutes), and an electrophotographic photosensitive member was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that monochlorobenzene was used as a solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 5)
In Example 1, only the intermediate layer is formed first with respect to the intermediate layer and the insert fixing layer, and the insert fixing layer is formed simultaneously with the charge generation layer using the charge generation layer coating solution (drying condition: 90 ° C. 10 minutes), and an electrophotographic photosensitive member was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 2-butanone was used as a solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

  When Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 2 are compared, when a solvent that does not dissolve the insert fixing layer is used, the insertion pressure increases and the support is deformed although there is some lubrication effect when the insert is inserted. You can see that

  Comparative Example 1 is an example in which the insert was fixed with an adhesive, but the acrylic monomer generated from the adhesive adhered to the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and whitened. In addition, if the applied amount of the adhesive is too small, there is no lubricating effect when inserting the insert, and the fixing strength is low.On the other hand, if the applied amount of the adhesive is too large, the dripping of the adhesive, Deformation occurred.

  Comparative Example 3 is an example using a solvent that hardly dissolves the insert fixing layer as in Comparative Example 2. However, as in Comparative Example 2, the insertion pressure was increased and the support was deformed.

  Comparative Example 4 is an example in which the charge transport layer and the insert fixing layer have the same composition instead of the intermediate layer and the insert fixing layer, but the solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixing layer is Since the charge transport layer can be dissolved, when the solvent is dried, the surface of the charge transport layer (= the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member) is contaminated by the influence of the solvent vapor.

  Comparative Example 5 is an example in which the charge generation layer and the insert fixing layer have the same composition instead of the intermediate layer and the insert fixing layer, but the insert fixing layer is a soluble solvent. Since 2-butanone used can dissolve not only the charge generation layer but also the charge transport layer, when this solvent is dried, the surface of the charge transport layer (= surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member) is affected by the solvent vapor. It has been contaminated.

It is a figure which shows the example of a layer structure of the electrophotographic photoreceptor of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a layer structure of the electrophotographic photoreceptor of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a layer structure of the electrophotographic photoreceptor of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of schematic structure of the electrophotographic apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Cylindrical support body 102 Conductive layer 103 Intermediate | middle layer 104 Photosensitive layer 1041 Charge generation layer 1042 Charge transport layer 105 Insert fixed body 106 Insert 1 Electrophotographic photoreceptor 2 axis | shaft 3 Charging means 4 Exposure light 5 Developing means 6 Transfer means 7 Cleaning means 8 Fixing means 9 Process cartridge 10 Guide means

Claims (1)

It has a cylindrical support, has an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer in this order on the outer peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, has an insert on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support, and the cylindrical support An insert fixing layer for fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical support between the body and the insert, and a material used for the insert fixing layer is provided in the intermediate layer. A method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member which is the same material as used ,
With applying the intermediate layer-insert fixed layer coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support, also applying the intermediate layer-insert fixed layer coating solution on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical support An intermediate layer / insert fixing layer coating solution coating step,
With drying the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating liquid applied to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical support by the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating liquid applying step, of the cylindrical support by also coated intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer coating solution is dried to the circumferential surface side, and the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer forming step of together forming the intermediate layer and the insert fixed layer,
A photosensitive layer coating liquid applying step of applying a photosensitive layer coating liquid on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate layer formed by the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer forming step,
A photosensitive layer formation step of forming the photosensitive layer by drying the photosensitive layer coating liquid applied to the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate layer by the photosensitive layer coating liquid application process,
And a solvent coating step of coating dissolvable solvent to the insert fixed layer formed on at least one of said insert pinned and the insert by the intermediate layer, the insert fixing layer forming step,
After the solvent capable of dissolving the insert fixed layer is applied to at least one of the insert fixed layer and the insert by solution coating step, inserting the insert into the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical support An insert insertion step,
After the insert has been inserted into the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support by the insert inserting step, the insert applied to at least one of the insert fixed layer and the insert by solution coating step process for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor characterized by having an insertion body fixing step of fixing the insert to the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical support by drying a soluble solvent fixation layer.

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