JP5358063B2 - Rubber roller manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for manufacturing a rubber roller, which forms a uniform coating layer. <P>SOLUTION: This device for manufacturing the rubber roller has gripping portions 1, 3 for gripping and fixing both the ends of the rubber roller 8. The device for manufacturing the rubber roller has a coating head 2 which is moved in the longitudinal direction of the rubber roller 8 with the periphery of the rubber roller 8 surrounded, and discharges coating liquid forming the coating layer to the periphery of the rubber roller 8. The device for manufacturing the rubber roller has eliminating portions 4, 5 eliminating the coating liquid adhering to the gripping portions 1, 3 from the gripping portions 1, 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a rubber roller manufacturing apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a rubber roller that is provided in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus or a copying machine and used for development, charging, transfer, fixing, pressurization, cleaning, static elimination, and the like.

Conventionally, the coating liquid is applied to the rubber roller by fixing the rubber roller at a fixed position by the gripping means, while discharging the coating liquid for forming the coating layer from the discharge nozzle provided on the inner periphery of the coating head. The coating head is moved relative to the rubber roller in the longitudinal direction (Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-17154 A

  However, the quality of the coating layer formed on the surface of the rubber roller after coating the coating liquid is greatly influenced by the influence of the external environment (wind flow and the like) when the coating liquid is dried. For this reason, depending on such an external environment, an appearance defect such as coating unevenness may occur in the coating layer on the surface of the rubber roller.

  In the conventional coating process described above, the gripping means, which is a portion other than the rubber portion of the rubber roller, is also applied at the same time, so that the coating liquid may adhere to the gripping means. In this case, if the next coating process is performed without removing the coating liquid attached to the gripping means, the coating liquid attached to the gripping means may flow out to the rubber portion of the rubber roller. As a result, coating unevenness occurs, and a defect that the coating layer becomes non-uniform occurs.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the manufacturing apparatus of the rubber roller which can form a uniform coating layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the rubber roller manufacturing apparatus of the present invention forms a coating layer on the elastic layer of a rubber roller having a cored bar and an elastic layer formed on the outer periphery of the cored bar. In rubber roller manufacturing equipment,
A gripping means for gripping and fixing both end portions of the rubber roller in a state where the rubber roller stands in a vertical direction ;
It is movable in the longitudinal direction of the front Kigo Murora while surrounding the outer periphery of the rubber roller, the coating head for ejecting a coating liquid forming the coating layer on the outer periphery of the rubber roller,
Removal means arranged so as to surround the periphery of the gripping means, a resin foam disposed at a portion in contact with the gripping means, and a valve attached to the removal means and supplying an organic solvent to the resin foam And a coating liquid removing means for removing the coating liquid adhered to the gripping means from the gripping means by supplying the organic solvent to the resin foam. And

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the manufacturing apparatus of the rubber roller which can form a uniform coating layer can be provided.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A shows a state where the rubber roller is gripped by the upper and lower gripping portions of the rubber roller manufacturing apparatus, and FIG. 1B shows that the rubber roller is removed from the upper and lower gripping portions of the rubber roller manufacturing apparatus. The state is shown.

  The rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an upper gripping portion 1 and a lower gripping portion 3 that constitute gripping means for gripping and fixing the rubber roller 8 in a vertical state. The rubber roller 8 has a cored bar 10 whose both ends are exposed, and an elastic body layer 11 coated on the other outer periphery of the cored bar 10. The upper grip 1 is pressed against the upper end of the rubber roller 8, and the lower grip 3 is pressed against the lower end of the rubber roller 8. In this way, the rubber roller 8 is gripped by the upper gripping portion 1 and the lower gripping portion 3. In this state, the cored bar 10 exposed at both ends of the rubber roller 8 is covered with these gripping parts 1 and 3. Accordingly, the coating liquid does not adhere to the cored bar 10 at both ends of the rubber roller 8 during the coating liquid coating process.

  The rubber roller manufacturing apparatus of the present embodiment has a coating head 2 that applies a coating liquid for forming a coating layer on the surface of the rubber roller 8. The coating head 2 has a configuration surrounding the rubber roller 8. The coating head 2 is driven by a drive means (not shown) and can move in the direction of the arrow 7 shown in the figure, which is the major axis direction of the rubber roller 8. The coating head 2 has a discharge nozzle (not shown) that discharges the coating liquid. The discharge nozzle is formed over the entire inner surface of the coating head 2. Therefore, the coating liquid is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the rubber roller 8 by moving the coating head 2 in the direction of the arrow 7 in the drawing while discharging the coating liquid from the discharge nozzle. In addition, since the movement area | region of the coating head 2 has extended also to each holding part 1 and 3, a coating liquid adheres also to the one part surface of each holding part 1 and 3 during this application | coating process. Therefore, the rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an upper removal unit 4 that removes the coating liquid adhering to the upper gripping unit 1 and a lower removal unit 5 that removes the coating liquid adhering to the lower gripping unit 3. And. These removing units 4 and 5 function as a coating liquid removing unit that removes the coating liquid adhering to the gripping units 1 and 3.

  The removing portions 4 and 5 have a blade shape, a roller shape, a brush shape, a pad shape, a sheet shape, and the like. The removers 4 and 5 remove the coating liquid adhering to the grips 1 and 3 by contacting the grips 1 and 3. In the removal step of the coating liquid, the removal units 4 and 5 may be moved in the direction of the arrow 6 shown in FIG. The gripping portions 1 and 3 may be moved in the direction of the arrow 6 in the figure with respect to the removal portions 4 and 5. FIGS. 2A and 2B show a state in which the upper removing unit 4 is moved along the major axis direction of the upper gripping portion 1 with respect to the stationary upper gripping portion 1. Furthermore, when the removal units 4 and 5 or the gripping units 1 and 3 are moved in the direction of the arrow 6 in the figure, they may be rotated.

  The gripping portions 1 and 3 and the removal portions 4 and 5 are not necessarily arranged integrally, but in order to shorten the time required for the coating liquid removal process, It is preferable that the removal parts 4 and 5 are integrally arranged.

  Although the material which comprises the removal parts 4 and 5 is not specifically limited, Since the removal parts 4 and 5 contact the holding parts 1 and 3, in order not to damage the holding parts 1 and 3, It is preferable to use a resin for the material constituting the removal portions 4 and 5. In particular, the portions of the removal portions 4 and 5 that are in contact with the gripping portions 1 and 3 have a large surface area on the contact surface with the gripping portions 1 and 3 or the coating liquid so that the coating liquid can be satisfactorily removed. It is preferable to use a material having a high absorbability. From such a point of view, it is particularly preferable to use a resin foam that has bubbles inside and has a large surface area at the portions that contact the gripping portions 1 and 3 of the removal portions 4 and 5. The material of the resin foam is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that is not affected by the coating liquid or the solvent described later.

  The rubber roller manufacturing apparatus of the present embodiment includes a supply pipe 9a that supplies an organic solvent to a portion of the removing units 4 and 5 that contacts the gripping units 1 and 3. The other end of the supply pipe 9a is connected to a dispenser (not shown). The supply pipe 9 a is provided with a valve 9. When the valve 9 is opened, the organic solvent is supplied from the dispenser to the portions of the removal units 4 and 5 that are in contact with the gripping units 1 and 3. The organic solvent supplied to the removal units 4 and 5 flows into the gap between the gripping units 1 and 3 and the removal units 4 and 5. Moreover, when the part which contacts the holding parts 1 and 3 of the removal parts 4 and 5 is comprised with the resin foam, the organic solvent osmose | permeates the resin foam. The coating liquid adhering to the gripping parts 1 and 3 can be removed from the gripping parts 1 and 3 better by the organic solvent supplied in this way. In addition, the component of the organic solvent is not particularly limited as long as it does not affect the removing portions 4 and 5.

  Hereinafter, an example in which the rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment is applied to a method for manufacturing a rubber roller for electrophotography will be described with reference to the drawings.

Example 1
<Production of rubber roller>
100 parts by mass of acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer “N230SV (trade name)” manufactured by JSR Corporation, 5 parts by mass of two types of zinc oxide manufactured by Sakai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., and 1 zinc stearate manufactured by Nippon Oil & Fats Co., Ltd. A mass part is prepared. Further, 48 parts by mass of carbon black “Toka Black # 7360SB (trade name)” manufactured by Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd. and 20 parts by mass of calcium carbonate “Nanox # 30 (trade name)” manufactured by Maruo Calcium Co., Ltd. are prepared. These are kneaded in a pressure kneader for 15 minutes. 1.2 parts by mass of sulfur “Sulfax PMC (trade name)” manufactured by Tsurumi Chemical Co., Ltd. and tetradibenzylthiuram disulfide “Noxeller TBzTD (trade name)” manufactured by Ouchi Shinsei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Of 4.5 parts by weight. Then, the kneaded product is kneaded for 15 minutes using two rolls to produce an unvulcanized rubber composition.

  Subsequently, the unvulcanized rubber composition is extruded integrally with the core metal 10 having an outer diameter of 6 mm and a length of 252 mm using a crosshead extruder, and the conductive elastic layer (rubber is formed in a cylindrical shape on the outer periphery of the core metal 10. Part) 11 is formed, and this is heated and vulcanized at 160 ° C. for 1 hour. Thereafter, dry polishing using a rotating grindstone is performed to produce a rubber roller 8 having an outer diameter of the conductive elastic layer (rubber part) 11 of 8.5 mm.

<Formation of coating layer>
As a coating liquid for coating layer formation, a container in which an ethanol solution diluted so that the solid content of silicon resin is 1.0% is connected to the coating head 2 via a syringe pump as a liquid supply means The coating head 2 was filled with the coating liquid. The viscosity of this coating solution was 1.2 mPa · s (measured with an E-type viscometer RE105L manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.).

  Next, the rubber roller 8 was fixed at a fixed position using the upper grip 1 and the lower grip 3. While discharging the coating liquid from the discharge nozzle provided on the inner circumference of the coating head 2, the coating liquid is moved while moving the coating head 2 in the direction from the upper gripping portion 1 toward the lower gripping portion 3. Coated. The rubber roller 8 thus coated with the coating liquid was irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the resin (coating liquid), thereby forming a coating layer 12 (see FIG. 3) on the rubber roller 8.

<Removal of coating liquid adhering to upper and lower gripping parts>
The rubber roller 8 was taken out from the gripping portions 1 and 3, and the removal portions 4 and 5 arranged integrally with the gripping portions 1 and 3 were reciprocated once in 0.8 seconds along the longitudinal direction of the gripping portions 1 and 3. At that time, the organic solvent ethanol is uniformly applied from the dispenser through the supply pipe 9a to the portions of the removal units 4 and 5 that contact the gripping portions 1 and 3 so as to surround the gripping portions 1 and 3. did. For the portions of the removal portions 4 and 5 that are in contact with the grip portions 1 and 3, foamed urethane having a cell diameter of 150 μm was used. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the gripping portions 1 and 3 is 8.3 mm, whereas the inner diameter of the portion of the removal portions 4 and 5 that contacts the gripping portions 1 and 3 is 8.0 mm.

[Rubber roller evaluation]
During coating, when the presence or absence of the coating liquid flowing out from the upper gripping means 2 to the rubber roller 8 was observed, the coating liquid did not flow out, and in the visual inspection of the coating layer 12, the coating unevenness, etc. There were no defects.

  Further, the rubber roller 8 obtained as described above was attached to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus as a charging roller, and a halftone image was output in an N / N environment (temperature 23 ° C./humidity 55%). A laser printer “Laser Shot LBP-2510 (trade name)” manufactured by Canon Inc. was used as the image forming apparatus. The applied voltage (DC voltage only) was adjusted so that the surface potential (dark portion potential) VD of the electrophotographic photosensitive member charged by the charging roller was around −400V. When the output image of the halftone image thus obtained was visually evaluated, no image defect due to the rubber roller 8 of this example was found. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

(Example 2)
In this embodiment, urethane foam having a cell diameter of 400 μm was used for the portions of the removal portions 4 and 5 that contact the grip portions 1 and 3. Otherwise, a rubber roller 8 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

  The rubber roller 8 was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. Also in this embodiment, when the presence or absence of the coating liquid flowing out from the upper gripping means 2 to the rubber roller 8 was observed, the coating liquid did not flow out, and in the visual inspection of the coating layer 12, the coating unevenness was observed. There were no such defects. Further, when the output image of the halftone image obtained from the image forming apparatus using the rubber roller 8 of this embodiment was visually evaluated, no image defect due to the rubber roller 8 of this embodiment was found. . The results are shown in Table 1 below.

(Example 3)
In this example, urethane foam having an inner diameter of 7.5 mm was used for the portions of the removal portions 4 and 5 that contact the grip portions 1 and 3. Otherwise, a rubber roller 8 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1.

  The rubber roller 8 was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. Also in this embodiment, when the presence or absence of the coating liquid flowing out from the upper gripping means 2 to the rubber roller 8 was observed, the coating liquid did not flow out, and in the visual inspection of the coating layer 12, the coating unevenness was observed. There were no such defects. Further, when the output image of the halftone image obtained from the image forming apparatus using the rubber roller 8 of this embodiment was visually evaluated, no image defect due to the rubber roller 8 of this embodiment was found. . The results are shown in Table 1 below.

(Comparative Example 1)
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to Comparative Example 1. The rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to this comparative example is different from the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and the like in that it does not include a removing unit for removing the coating liquid adhering to the gripping units 1 and 3. Other configurations of the rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to Comparative Example 1 are the same as those of the apparatus shown in FIG.

  The rubber roller 8 produced by the apparatus of this comparative example was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. As a result of observing whether or not the coating liquid flowed out from the upper gripping means 2 to the rubber roller 8, the coating liquid flowed out. In the visual inspection of the coating layer 12 (see FIG. 3), Defects were seen. Moreover, when the output image was visually evaluated about the halftone image obtained from the image forming apparatus using the rubber roller 8 of this comparative example, the image defect resulting from the rubber roller 8 of this comparative example was seen. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the manufacturing apparatus of the rubber roller which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows a mode that an upper side removal part is moved along the major axis direction of an upper side grip part with respect to the upper side grip part made stationary. It is sectional drawing of the rubber roller in which the coating layer was formed. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the manufacturing apparatus of the rubber roller which concerns on a comparative example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper grip part 2 Coating head 3 Lower grip part 4 Upper removal part 5 Lower removal part 6 Moving direction of each gripping part 7 Moving direction of coating head 8 Rubber roller 9 Valve 9a Supply pipe 10 Core metal 11 Elastic body layer 12 Coating layer

Claims (2)

In a rubber roller manufacturing apparatus for forming a coating layer on the elastic body layer of a rubber roller having a core metal and an elastic body layer formed on the outer periphery of the core metal,
A gripping means for gripping and fixing both end portions of the rubber roller in a state where the rubber roller stands in a vertical direction;
A coating head which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rubber roller in a state of surrounding the outer periphery of the rubber roller, and discharges the coating liquid forming the coating layer to the outer periphery of the rubber roller;
Removal means arranged so as to surround the periphery of the gripping means, a resin foam disposed at a portion in contact with the gripping means, and a valve attached to the removal means and supplying an organic solvent to the resin foam A supply pipe, and a coating liquid removing means for removing the coating liquid adhering to the gripping means by supplying the organic solvent to the resin foam from the gripping means,
An apparatus for manufacturing a rubber roller, comprising: The rubber roller manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cell diameter of the resin foam is 150 μm or more and 400 μm or less.

Images