JP5403893B2 - Elastic roller manufacturing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for manufacturing an elastic roller having an elastic layer on its surface. More specifically, the present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an elastic roller that is suitably applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer.

  Rollers such as a developing roller and a charging roller are disposed inside an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer. Here, the contact-type developing roller, charging roller, and the like must rotate while securely holding the state in close contact with the photosensitive drum. Therefore, an elastic roller having a structure in which an elastic layer such as silicone rubber is provided on the outer periphery of a rod-shaped shaft member made of a material such as metal is conventionally known. Further, in such an elastic roller, a material that forms a shaft member or an elastic layer is provided with conductivity, and a roller imparted with conductivity as required is also known.

  In the image forming apparatus, in addition to the developing roller and the charging roller, a toner supply roller for supplying toner to the developing roller, a transfer roller for transferring the toner attached to the latent image on the photosensitive drum to a recording medium, An elastic roller having an elastic layer may be employed as a cleaning roller for removing toner remaining on the photosensitive drum after transfer. As described above, an elastic roller provided with an elastic layer around the shaft member is widely used in the image forming apparatus.

  Therefore, many studies have been made on the technology for manufacturing the elastic roller. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that the production of a roller by molding using a mold, which has been the most common in the past, is costly. On the other hand, while rotating the shaft member (the object to be coated), the material is produced by a die coater. A technique for forming an elastic layer by applying and curing it is proposed. Here, the thickness of the elastic layer is regulated by moving the blade integrally with the die coater or a separately disposed blade in the axial direction. If it does in this way, a manufacturing cost can be reduced and an elastic roller can be manufactured.

Patent Document 2 discloses an elastic roller having a so-called crown shape having an elastic layer formed so that its thickness gradually increases toward the center. Elastic roller crown shape, to be effective, such as can be made uniform ground contact pressure with the mating member (Kyoji圧) are conventionally known. Patent Document 2 discloses that a crown shape is formed by a roll coating method in which a solution for forming an elastic layer is applied to the roll surface in the same manner as Patent Document 1. Further, a technique for adjusting the coating amount by changing the feed speed (moving speed) in the axial direction (longitudinal direction or traverse direction) of the roller to form a crown shape is proposed ( (See paragraph 0029 of Patent Document 2).
JP 2006-184895 A JP 2005-274768 A

By the way, in recent years, there have been various requests from the apparatus side such as an image forming apparatus, and in response to this, there is an increasing demand for accurately manufacturing elastic rollers having various outer shapes. The above-mentioned patent document 1 proposes a technique for regulating the thickness of the elastic layer to be constant using a blade, and considers positive adjustment (change) of the thickness of the elastic layer to obtain a desired shape. Has not been made.
On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for forming a crown shape by changing the feed speed in the axial direction (longitudinal direction) of a roller. Therefore, Patent Document 2 considers changing the shape of the elastic layer. However, it is extremely difficult to adjust the coating amount with the feed rate in the axial direction and thereby control the thickness of the elastic layer to accurately define the outer shape. That is, it is impossible to manufacture an elastic roller having a desired outer shape by the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2.

  Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide an elastic roller manufacturing apparatus that can form an elastic layer in a desired shape with high accuracy at low cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide an elastic roller manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an elastic roller having an elastic layer around a rod-shaped shaft member, a rotating means for rotating the shaft member around an axis, and the shaft member facing the shaft member. A material applying means for discharging the material forming the elastic layer and applying the material to the peripheral surface of the shaft member; and moving at least a part of the material applying means in the radial direction of the shaft member, A layer thickness adjusting means for adjusting the layer thickness of the coating layer, an axial direction moving means for relatively moving at least the shaft member and the material applying means in the axial direction of the shaft member , at least the layer thickness adjusting means, and control means for controlling the drive of said axial moving means, the control means includes a storage unit that stores data about the shape of the elastic roller, the data By controlling the layer thickness adjusting means and the axial direction moving means Zui, forming the elastic layer of the elastic roller, it can be achieved by an elastic roller manufacturing apparatus according to claim.

The material application unit includes a die part that discharges material toward the peripheral surface of the shaft member, and the layer thickness adjusting unit moves the die part in a radial direction of the shaft member, thereby It is good also as a structure which adjusts the layer thickness of an application layer.

Further, the material application means further has a blade part for adjusting the layer thickness of the application layer in contact with the material after application in the vicinity of the die part for discharging the material toward the peripheral surface of the shaft member, The layer thickness adjusting means may be configured to adjust the layer thickness of the coating layer by moving the blade portion together with the die portion in the radial direction of the shaft member.

Further, the material application means is an independently movable blade that adjusts the thickness of the application layer by contacting the material after application in the vicinity of the die portion that discharges the material toward the peripheral surface of the shaft member. The layer thickness adjusting means may be configured to adjust the layer thickness by changing the distance from the shaft center in the radial direction of the shaft member.

  And it is more preferable to set it as the structure further equipped with the hardening means which hardens the said material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an elastic roller manufacturing method for manufacturing an elastic roller having an elastic layer around a rod-shaped shaft member, wherein the shaft member is rotated around an axis , and the axial direction moving means is used to while forming a coating layer by applying a material by relatively moving the material application means along the axial direction of the shaft member, the further at least partially be moved in the radial direction of the shaft member Rukoto of the material application means Including a step of adjusting the layer thickness of the coating layer using a layer thickness adjusting unit that adjusts the layer thickness of the coating layer, the storage unit storing data relating to the shape of the elastic roller, and at least the layer thickness adjusting unit; Using the control means for controlling the driving of the axial movement means, the layer thickness adjusting means and the axial movement means are controlled based on the data to form the elastic layer of the elastic roller. To be accomplished by elastic roller manufacturing method characterized by.

According to the present invention, an application layer formed on the peripheral surface of the shaft member by applying a material discharged from the material application unit without using a mold is formed so that at least a part of the material application unit extends in the radial direction of the shaft member. By moving it, the desired shape of the elastic layer can be obtained by adjusting to the intended shape. Therefore, according to the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to easily manufacture an elastic roller having a desired outer shape while realizing cost reduction without using a mold. Furthermore, it comprises at least a control means for controlling the driving of the layer thickness adjusting means and the axial direction moving means, and provided with a storage unit storing data relating to the shape of the elastic roller, thereby providing an elastic roller having a desired outer shape. Furthermore, it can manufacture efficiently. In addition, the structure which adjusts the layer thickness of an application layer by moving the whole said material application means may be sufficient, or the part which discharges a material, or its periphery, ie, a part of material application means, may be sufficient as it. You may comprise so that layer thickness may be adjusted.

Therefore, if the layer thickness of the coating layer of the material is adjusted by moving the die portion for discharging the material of the material coating means in the radial direction of the shaft member, the elasticity of the desired shape can be achieved with a relatively simple configuration. Layers can be formed.

In addition, if a blade part is provided near the die part and the thickness of the coating layer of the material is adjusted by changing the distance from the center of the shaft in the radial direction, the desired shape can be obtained with higher accuracy. The elastic layer can be formed.

Furthermore, an independently movable blade portion is provided in the vicinity of the die portion, and the thickness of the coating layer of the material is adjusted by changing the distance from the shaft center in the radial direction of the blade portion. However, an elastic layer having a desired shape can be formed with high accuracy. The blade portion may be configured to slide in the radial direction, or may be configured to rotate about a predetermined axis and move the tip in the radial direction.

  Moreover, when the hardening means which hardens material is further provided, the coating layer after adjustment can be hardened rapidly and it can be set as an elastic layer.

  An elastic roller having a desired outer shape can be efficiently manufactured while realizing cost reduction by an elastic roller manufacturing method including the step of applying a material on the peripheral surface of the shaft member and adjusting the layer thickness.

Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment. The elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 includes support columns 2 and 3 that pivotally support the shaft member SH in a state where the shaft member SH is sandwiched from both sides. The shaft member SH is a member serving as a base material of the elastic roller, and is, for example, a metal hollow or solid rod-shaped member. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the elastic roller ER manufactured by the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 is almost completed. The elastic roller ER is formed on the peripheral surface of the rod-shaped shaft member SH with the elastic layer EL. Is formed.

  In FIG. 1, a first motor 4 is disposed on the support pillar 3 on the right side. The shaft member SH is rotated around the axis in the direction of the arrow AR by the first motor 4. The two support columns 2 and 3 and the first motor 4 arranged on the support column 3 side constitute a rotating means for rotating the shaft member SH about the axis.

  The two support columns 2 and 3 are fixed to the upper surface of the slide plate 5. The slide plate 5 is slidably mounted on a flat fixed base BS. A long hole that is screwed into the screw shaft 6 is provided inside the slide plate 5. The screw shaft 6 is rotated in both directions by the second motor 7. Therefore, the slide plate 5 is slid on the fixed base BS in a predetermined direction in the axial direction (traverse direction) SD of the shaft member SH according to the rotation direction of the second motor 7. Therefore, the driving of the second motor 7 can be controlled to slide the shaft member SH indicated on the slide plate 5 in the axial direction SD.

  The die coater 10 is disposed so as to face the shaft member SH as a material application unit that discharges the material forming the elastic layer EL and applies the material to the peripheral surface of the shaft member SH. However, FIG. 1 illustrates a state in which the elastic layer EL has already been formed on the shaft member SH as described above. Although not shown here, the die coater 10 is connected to a material supply pump, and discharges (injects) the material from the slit of the die portion 11 located at the tip toward the outer periphery of the shaft member SH, so that the peripheral surface of the shaft member A layer coated with the material is formed thereon. The material for forming the elastic layer applied here may be appropriately selected from known materials that can form the elastic layer EL when cured. Further, when a highly conductive material is employed as the shaft member SH and carbon black or metal powder is dispersed in the material, the elastic layer EL can be made conductive.

  However, in this embodiment, in order to manufacture an elastic roller more efficiently, the structure which arrange | positions the hardening means which hardens this after apply | coating material to the surrounding surface of the shaft member SH is illustrated. An ultraviolet irradiation device is employed as the curing means. Therefore, in this embodiment, an ultraviolet curable material is adopted as a material for forming the elastic layer EL. Examples of such ultraviolet curable materials include polyester resins, polyether resins, fluororesins, epoxy resins, amino resins, polyamide resins, acrylic resins, acrylic urethane resins, urethane resins, alkyd resins, phenol resins, melamine resins, urea resins. Silicone resins, polyvinyl butyral resins, vinyl ether resins, vinyl ester resins, and modified resins in which specific functional groups are introduced into these resins can be used. These resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition to the conductive agent, the resin can contain a reactive diluent as necessary. The resin preferably contains a photopolymerization initiator and a photopolymerization accelerator. In addition, you may contain a well-known additive as needed.

  In the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1, a spot-type ultraviolet irradiation device 20 is disposed in parallel with the die coater 10 that discharges a material so as to face the shaft member SH. Thereby, this can be rapidly hardened by irradiating the material applied to the peripheral surface of the shaft member SH with the die coater 10 from the ultraviolet irradiation device 20. Therefore, when the ultraviolet irradiation device 20 is arranged beside the die coater 10 in this way, the material applied on the shaft member SH can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays and cured, so that the shape is stabilized at an early stage. Can be made.

This elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 has a new configuration for making the shape of the elastic layer EL a desired outer shape. Further, this point will be described.
The die coater 10 as a material applying means for applying to the peripheral surface of the shaft member is placed on a slide table 31 set so as to be slidable in the radial direction RD. The slide base 31 is moved by the third motor 32 in a direction approaching the center of the shaft member SH and a direction away from the center of the shaft member SH. By this operation, the layer thickness of the material coating layer before curing (hereinafter referred to as coating layer) applied on the shaft member SH by the die coater 10 is positively adjusted to make the outer shape of the elastic layer EL a desired shape. . Here, a layer thickness adjusting mechanism (layer thickness adjusting means) 30 is constituted by the slide table 31 and the third motor 32. Thus, since the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 is provided with the layer thickness adjustment mechanism 30, it can be hardened with the ultraviolet irradiation apparatus 20 after adjusting the layer thickness of a coating layer as desired. Therefore, the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 can form the outer shape of the elastic roller ER as a product, more specifically, the shape of the elastic layer EL into a desired outer shape.

  Furthermore, the structure with which the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 is preferable is demonstrated. The elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a controller 40 that controls the whole, and forms the outer shape of the elastic roller ER into a desired shape. The controller 40 is configured as described above, that is, the first motor 4 that rotates the shaft member SH, the second motor 7 that slides the shaft member SH in the axial direction SD, and the third motor that slides the die coater 10 in the radial direction RD. The outer shape of the elastic roller ER is formed by controlling the drive of the motor 32, the die coater 10 that discharges the material forming the elastic layer EL, and the ultraviolet irradiation device 20. The controller 40 is provided with an instruction input unit 41 for inputting an instruction regarding a shape desired by the operator. Further, a memory unit 42 is connected as a storage unit that stores data relating to the manufacture of the elastic roller ER. The data stored in the memory unit 42 includes a series of data relating to the outer shape of the elastic roller ER that can be manufactured. For example, in this external shape data, when the elastic layer EL is flat (flat) and has a constant layer thickness, when the crown shape is formed by raising the central portion of the elastic layer EL, on the contrary, both ends of the elastic layer EL In the case of the inverted crown shape in which the portion is raised, the data can be included such as when the layer thickness is changed, when it is formed in a smooth taper shape, or when it is formed in a step shape.

  The operation of the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 will be outlined. When the operator gives a predetermined instruction via the instruction input unit 41, the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 is activated and the controller 40 starts control. First, the controller 40 reads out necessary data from the memory unit 42 based on an instruction from the instruction input unit 41 and executes elastic roller manufacturing. Here, a necessary amount of material is discharged from the die part 11 of the die coater 10, and the rotation of the first motor 4 and the second motor 7 is appropriately controlled to apply the material on the peripheral surface of the shaft member SH. To do. Here, the controller 40 controls the driving of the third motor 32 based on the above data to change the position in the radial direction RD of the die coater 10 that discharges the material, thereby changing the position of the die portion 11 at the tip. Adjust with high accuracy.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the controller 40 adjusts the position of the die portion 11 to a constant position in the radial direction RD so that the coating layer has a predetermined constant thickness when a flat surface is formed. 2) When forming a crown shape, the position of the die portion 11 is changed based on the data so that the central portion of the coating layer is thick in the axial direction SD. 3) In the case of forming an inverted crown shape, the position of the die portion 11 is changed based on the data so that both end portions of the coating layer are thick in the axial direction SD.
Note that FIG. 2 shows three types of diagrams (one straight line and two curved lines) of the outer shape of the application layer of the elastic roller shown as an example with the vertical axis as the radial direction RD. Each diagram shows the position trajectory of the die portion 11 from the axis of the shaft member SH, but in FIG. 2, it is shown by a curve that is convex downward in the case of a crown shape. Therefore, the reverse crown shape is reversed. Although FIG. 2 exemplarily shows three patterns, the elastic roller may have a stepped outer shape as described above.

  Thereafter, the controller 40 activates the ultraviolet irradiating device 20, and cures the coating layer by irradiating the ultraviolet ray to form the elastic roller ER provided with the elastic layer EL. That is, the controller 40 adjusts the layer thickness by changing the radial position while forming the coating layer with the material discharged from the die part 11 as described above, so that the outer shape of the coating layer becomes a desired one. . Then, immediately after that, the elastic layer EL can be formed by quickly curing with the ultraviolet irradiation device 20.

  In the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 described above, when the material is discharged from the die coater 10 and applied to the peripheral surface of the shaft member SH without using a mold, the layer thickness is changed by changing the position of the die portion 11. The target shape is adjusted. Thereafter, the adjusted coating layer is cured by the ultraviolet irradiation device 20 to obtain an elastic layer EL. Therefore, according to this elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1, an elastic roller having a desired outer shape can be manufactured while realizing cost reduction. If the memory unit 42 connected to the controller 40 stores in advance data relating to the shape of the elastic roller that is required to be manufactured, a desired elastic roller can be manufactured efficiently.

(Modification)
The elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 adjusts the layer thickness by moving the entire die coater 10 in the radial direction RD of the shaft member SH to change the position of the die portion 11 that discharges the material. The layer thickness adjusting means here is a slide base 31 on which the die coater 10 is placed and a third motor 32 that moves the slide base 31. However, the configuration of the layer thickness adjusting means for adjusting the layer thickness of the coating layer EL is not limited to that shown in FIG.

  Furthermore, other configurations that can be employed will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3A is a diagram schematically showing an example of the die coater 10 and its peripheral configuration. Here, a configuration example of a die coater further including a blade portion 35 that adjusts the layer thickness by contacting the coating layer ER formed on the shaft member SH on the lower side near the die portion 11 is shown. The blade portion 35 is in contact with the coating layer before curing at its tip 35TP to adjust the layer thickness. 3A, as in the case described above, the die coater 10 main body moves on the slide base 31 in the radial direction RD, so that the position of the blade portion 35 is changed to change the coating layer EL. The layer thickness is adjusted. In the structure example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 (A), the entire die coater 10 is moved to adjust the layer thickness, but the die portion 11 or the portion of the die portion 11 and the blade portion 35 (that is, the portion) , A part of the die coater 10) may be configured to be movable so as to adjust the layer thickness.

  FIG. 3B is a diagram schematically showing another configuration example of the die coater 10 and its periphery. The blade portion 35 shown here is formed so as to be movable in the radial direction independently of the other components of the die coater 10. The blade portion 35 is connected to a screw shaft 37 driven by a motor 36 on the back side (right side in the drawing). Therefore, the blade portion 35 can move in the radial direction RD by rotating the motor 36 forward and backward. In such a configuration, it is possible to adjust the layer thickness with high accuracy by driving only the blade portion 35.

  In addition, the structure which drives only a blade part as mentioned above and adjusts layer thickness is not restricted to the form which moves to the radial direction RD of the shaft member SH as mentioned above. The blade portion 35 may be rotated around the predetermined position PT, and the tip 35TP may move within a predetermined arc range indicated by an arrow CA. If comprised in this way, the front-end | tip 35TP of the braid | blade part 35 can be made to approach the center of the shaft member SH, or can be released | separated. That is, also in this case, the layer thickness of the coating layer EL can be adjusted as desired by changing the distance in the radial direction of the blade portion 35 from the center of the shaft member SH.

  Further, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the structure has been described in which the die coater 10 and the ultraviolet irradiation device 20 are positioned in the axial direction SD and the shaft member SH is moved in the axial direction SD. Therefore, in the above-described example, the fixed base BS, the slide plate 5, and the second motor 7 that drives the screw shaft 6 constitute the axial movement means. However, as a configuration for adjusting the coating layer thickness, it is only necessary to realize a structure in which at least the die coater 10 and the shaft member SH are relatively moved in the axial direction SD. For example, the structure opposite to the above is adopted in which the position of the shaft member SH is fixed in the axial direction SD and the die coater 10 and the ultraviolet irradiation device 20 are installed on the moving body and moved in the axial direction SD. Also good.

  Furthermore, in the above-described example, since an ultraviolet curable material is employed, the ultraviolet irradiation device 20 is a curing means for curing the material, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The curing means is changed according to the material used. For example, when a material that is cured by heat is employed, a heater for heating may be disposed as a curing means.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. It can be changed.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, an elastic roller manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an elastic roller used in an image forming apparatus or the like into a desired shape at low cost can be provided.

It is the figure which showed typically the structure of the elastic roller manufacturing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is the figure which illustrated the application layer which can be formed by adjusting the position of a die part. It is the figure which showed the modification typically.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Elastic roller manufacturing apparatus 2, 3 Support pillar 4 1st motor 7 2nd motor 10 Die coater (material application | coating means)
11 Die part 20 UV irradiation device (hardening means)
30 Layer thickness adjustment mechanism (Layer thickness adjustment means)
35 Blade section 40 Controller (control means)
42 Memory unit (storage unit)
ER elastic roller EL elastic layer SH shaft member SD axial direction RD radial direction AR rotational direction of shaft member

Claims (6)

An elastic roller manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an elastic roller having an elastic layer around a rod-shaped shaft member,
Rotating means for rotating the shaft member about an axis;
A material applying means disposed opposite to the shaft member, for discharging the material forming the elastic layer and applying the material to the peripheral surface of the shaft member;
A layer thickness adjusting unit that adjusts a layer thickness of the coating layer of the material by moving at least a part of the material applying unit in a radial direction of the shaft member;
Axial movement means for relatively moving at least the shaft member and the material application means in the axial direction of the shaft member ;
Control means for controlling the driving of at least the layer thickness adjusting means and the axial direction moving means ,
The control unit includes a storage unit that stores data relating to the shape of the elastic roller, and controls the layer thickness adjusting unit and the axial movement unit based on the data to form an elastic layer of the elastic roller. The elastic roller manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The material application means has a die portion that discharges material toward the peripheral surface of the shaft member,
The elastic roller manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layer thickness adjusting unit adjusts the layer thickness of the coating layer by moving the die portion in a radial direction of the shaft member. The material application means further includes a blade portion that adjusts the thickness of the application layer in contact with the applied material in the vicinity of the die portion that discharges the material toward the peripheral surface of the shaft member,
The elastic roller manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the layer thickness adjusting means adjusts the layer thickness of the coating layer by moving the blade portion together with the die portion in a radial direction of the shaft member. apparatus. The material applying means includes an independently movable blade portion that adjusts the thickness of the coating layer in contact with the coated material in the vicinity of the die portion that discharges the material toward the peripheral surface of the shaft member. In addition,
2. The elastic roller manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layer thickness adjusting unit adjusts the layer thickness by changing a distance from a shaft center of the blade portion in a radial direction of the shaft member. . Elastic roller manufacturing apparatus according to any of being cured means further comprising curing the material, it from claim 1, wherein 4. An elastic roller manufacturing method for manufacturing an elastic roller comprising an elastic layer around a rod-shaped shaft member,
The shaft member is rotated about its axis , and the material application unit is formed by applying the material by relatively moving the material application unit along the axial direction of the shaft member by using the axial direction moving unit , and further applying the material. comprise at least a portion to adjust the layer thickness of the coating layer with a thickness adjusting means for adjusting the layer thickness of the coating layer by Rukoto were also moved in the radial direction of the shaft member step means,
A storage unit that stores data relating to the shape of the elastic roller; and at least a control unit that controls driving of the layer thickness adjusting unit and the axial direction moving unit, and based on the data, the layer thickness adjusting unit and the layer An elastic roller manufacturing method , wherein an elastic layer of the elastic roller is formed by controlling an axial movement means .

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